Detachment in Turkey
Injustice? First division club leaves space in protest
Updated on 10.02.2025 – 11:41 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Adana Demirspor leaves the field in protest and complains of systematic injustice. The team receives criticism from host Galatasaray.
Players of the Turkish football club Adana Demirspor left the place in the duel at Galatasaray Istanbul. The game in the Süper Lig had to be canceled at 1-0 for the home team.
Demirspor justified the decision that “systematic, conscious referee errors and injustices” had been committed against Adana Demirspor, the state news agency Anadolu reported. Galatasaray accuses the club of staging the incident.
The Adana team left the field in the 34th minute. Previously, Galatasaray had taken the lead through a penalty (12th minute). The association described the penalty decision due to a suspected foul in the penalty area as unfair.
The deputy chairman of Galatasaray, Metin Öztürk, reacted with incomprehension. If each team left the place because of an unjust penalty, each league would end in four weeks, the Anadolu news agency quoted the 63-year-old. Coach Okan Buruk also complained according to “Ligablatt”: “Suddenly someone makes a call and the team is taken from the field. This is great damage to Turkish football.”
He continued: “I don’t think what happened here was wise and I’m sorry. There are always efforts to make Turkish football look bad.” He respects the decision, but is also sad about it. As Turkish media report, the decision to cancel the game was based on the leadership team Demirspors. Adana coach Mustafa Alper Avci said: “After the penalty, the president made the decision to leave the field. We wanted to stay on the field.”
After 21 game days, Galatasaray is at the top of the table with 57 points. Demirspor, on the other hand, has only been able to get five points so far and is faced with relegation.