International Soccer
Altercations between fans and players in a Turkish league match
Violent clashes between Trabzonspor fans and Fenerbahçe players marred the end of a Turkish first division match this Sunday, a championship already shaken this season by another episode of unusual violence.
Fenerbahce players being taunted by fans of the rival team, Trabzonspor, at the Papara Park stadium in Turkey. (Free Press Photo: AFP)
A mass of fans invaded the grass of the Trabzonspor stadium at the final whistle of the match lost by their team (3-2), while the Fenerbahçe Istanbul players celebrated their victory.
Several images show a first fan of the local team jumping onto the field towards the visiting players. Several of them head towards him with the intention of hitting him.
Other images show a fan threatening a player from the Istanbul club with the corner stick.
Fenerbahçe goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was punched in the face, according to images recorded from the stands and spread on social networks.
In another video, Belgian international Michy Batshuayi can be seen kicking a fan who was running on the grass, and Nigerian international Bright Osayi-Samuel punching another fan.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya then announced the opening of an investigation to try to identify the fans who jumped onto the pitch.
The Turkish championship was suspended for a week in December following an attack on a referee in a first division match between the Ankaragücü and Rizespor clubs.
At the final whistle, when the visiting club had just tied (1-1), and with a goal disallowed once morest Ankaragücü, the referee was hit by several men, including the president of the club from the Turkish capital.
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