TRABZON, Turkey
A doctor confirmed Sunday that the driver of the Fenerbahce football team bus, which came under attack Saturday night after a league match, suffered a gunshot to his face.
"The bullet entry is on the left side of the driver’s face, while the tomography showed a piece of metal under the bone," Karadeniz Technical University Farabi Hospital's Head Doctor Tevfik Ozlu said.
Ozlu added that the driver’s condition was stable and his vital functions remained normal.
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.
Trabzon province Governor Abdil Celil Oz told The Anadolu Agency that the driver was most likely hit by a bullet from a shotgun. He added that a thorough investigation would be carried into the incident.
'Armed attack' against Turkish football team bus condemned
The assault against Fenerbahce football team's bus in Turkey’s north has been widely condemned, as the wounded bus driver remains hospitalized after suffering heavy bleeding.
The attack -- reportedly involving gunfire -- on Rize-Trabzon highway, which came as Fenerbahce were on their way back after a 5-1 victory against Rizespor Saturday night, has been condemned by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Sports Minister Cagatay Kilic, main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the Turkish Football Federation and several Sport Toto Super League clubs.
The clubs included Besiktas, Bursaspor, Galatasaray, Gaziantespor, Mersin Idmanyurdu, Trabzonspor and Caykur Rizespor.
Minister Kilic condemned the attack on a sports program on TRT Spor channel, while Prime Minister Davutoglu reprimanded the assault on his Twitter account.
Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlut Cavusoglu also condemned the attack on Twitter late Saturday.
The football federation said the attack directly targeted Turkish football, promising an investigation.
Meanwhile, Governor of Trabzon province, Abdil Celil Oz said: "Our findings show that it seems to be an armed assault. There's a metal object in the driver's cheekbone and there is no brain damage and he is in no risk of death.”
After the game against Caykur Rizespor in Rize province, which Fenerbahce won 5-1, the Yellow Canaries were off to Trabzon to take the plane for Istanbul. But near Arsin district of Trabzon province, the bus was hit by an object, leaving the driver bleeding heavily. He has been taken to hospital on a police vehicle.
