ANKARA
Turkish top football division Spor Toto Super League match between Fenerbahce and Bursaspor on April 13, Monday has been postponed, Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has said after Saturday’s attack on Fenerbahce team bus.
TFF announced on their website that Fenerbahce's Ziraat Turkish Cup match against Mersin Idmanyurdu on April 7 and Spor Toto Super League match against Bursaspor on April 13 have been postponed to a further date.
It is reported that both games' dates and kick-off times will be announced in upcoming days.
"The detailed statement will be made after the meeting held tomorrow (Monday). In this process the matches in Spor Toto Super League will be played", indicated TFF.
Meanwhile, Turkish Minister of Internal Affairs Sebahattin Ozturk said Sunday at a press conference on Saturday night’s attack that he thought there was no need for postponing matches in terms of security in Turkey.
Condemning the attack, Ozturk said police have most of the evidences but the perpetrator has not been caught yet. "We have an empty shotgun shell and a handmade shotgun without serial number found in a stream. We believe that the perpetrator(s) will be found,” he said.
Governor of Trabzon, Abdil Celil Oz -- visiting the wounded driver of the bus Ufuk Kiran in hospital -- said, "The driver's health status is fine, he woke up and is recuperating.
"Gunshots and the evidences show that the perpetrator(s) shot twice. The police continue their work to find the perpetrator(s)," Oz added.
Additionally Turkish Minister of Labor and Social Security, Faruk Celik expressed his regrets about the armed attack against Fenerbahce team's bus. Celik decried the assault and described it as "unbelievable.”
A great number of Fenerbahce fans, club chairmain Aziz Yildirim and several board members welcomed Fenerbahce team and staff in Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul Sunday night. Fenerbahce players and technical staff received well wishes from Yildirim and board members.
In the meantime, Fenerbahce football club requested postponement of the leagues until the case is solved. It is said on the club website, "The incident that the team witnessed after the match is not a simple case carried out by a fan. This was an organized armed attack and assassination attempt against Fenerbahce.”
Archrivals Galatasaray's board member Ali Durust stated after the match where Galatasaray beat Kardemir Karabukspor 4-2 on Sunday that his team would demand a one-week postponement of the leagues in the Clubs Union meeting to be held on Monday. In addition, Galatasaray vice-chair Abdurrahim Albayrak named the armed attack a "disgraceful act.”
Many Galatasaray players, including Burak Yilmaz, Umut Bulut and Hamit Altintop expressed sympathy with Fenerbahce team. Bulut said that a one-week postponement of the leagues will be good for themselves and Turkish football.
Spor Toto Super League title contenders Fenerbahce's team bus came under attack late Saturday night when it was travelling on the Rize-Trabzon highway near Arsin district; the Yellow Canaries were off to Trabzon to catch their plane for Istanbul. The attack took place after the game against Caykur Rizespor in Rize province, which Fenerbahce won, 5-1. The bus was hit by a shotgun shell, leaving the driver bleeding heavily. He was taken to hospital on a police vehicle.
