The Trabzonspor fans charged onto the pitch as Fenerbahce
players celebrated their 3-2 win following the final whistle of the Turkish
Superlig game in the Black Sea coastal city of Trabzon late Sunday.
Some Fenerbahce players hit back at fans who kicked or
punched them and video of the clashes went viral.
Defender Bright Asayi-Samuel landed a right hook punch on
the run that knocked one pitch invader to the ground and forward Michy
Batshuayi struck a fan running fast toward him with a spinning high-kick move.
Security staff later helped the Fenerbahce players down the
tunnel into the locker rooms.
The incident came just months after the president of
top-flight club Ankaragucu was arrested for punching a referee following a
match, prompting the Turkish Football Federation to briefly suspend league
games.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on X, formerly
known as Twitter, on Monday that police detained 12 people in connection with
the violence.
Yerlikaya said among those detained were a person who threw
a projectile at Fenerbahce coach İsmail Kartal during the match, a man who was
the first to invade the pitch, a fan who grabbed the corner flag and charged
toward the players and a person who hit Fenerbahce goalkeeper Dominic
Livakovic.
Earlier, Yerlikaya said an investigation was ongoing and
that those who invaded the pitch would be identified.
“The occurrence of violence on football fields is not
acceptable,” he wrote.
The Turkish Football Federation also condemned the incident
and said those responsible would be punished following an investigation.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino used his Instagram account
to condemn the incidents as “absolutely unacceptable,” and called on Turkish
authorities to hold the perpetrators to account.
The clashes happened after Batshuayi scored in the 87th
minute to secure the win and stay just two points behind Galatasaray in a tight
league title race between the Istanbul city rivals. Trabzonspor, the 2022
champion, is a distant third in the standings. AP
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