By Roberto Lamprecht
Extraordinary action by world champion Thomas Häßler (56) and ex-Bundesliga star Thorben Marx (41/Hertha BSC, Gladbach, Bielefeld)! Both can be auctioned off for a good cause.
The prominent duo from BFC Preussen will hold a press conference on Friday (February 24) at 6 p.m. (live on the club channels at Instagram, Facebook, YouTube).
Sad background: The earthquake in Turkey and Syria!
The idea: The two ex-soccer stars can be auctioned for an exclusive meet & greet including restaurant tasting.
The images of the total destruction of Antakya went around the world. This is where the family of BFC Preussen stadium announcer Yalcin Karaoglan lives Photo: picture alliance/ AP
The auction stages are the social channels (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook) of her club BFC Preussen, where Hässler works as a sports consultant and Marx as an assistant trainer. The action lasts until Sunday in nine days. The highest bidder wins.
The auctioned money then goes to the earthquake victims in Antakya, the capital of the province of Hatay – this is the southernmost tip of Turkey, right on the border with Syria. Everything is in ruins here.
Thomas Häßler (r.), Thorben Marx (middle) and sporting director Pierre Seiffert absolutely want to help Photo: BFC Prussia
“Icke” Hässler says: “It is terrible what happened to the people in Turkey as a result of the earthquake. It goes without saying that we help where the need is greatest.” And unfortunately the world champion knows first-hand how badly the city of Antakya was hit. Because Prussia’s stadium announcer Yalcin Karaoglan (49) is personally affected.
“Yalle”, as everyone affectionately calls him, describes the horror that takes place there in BZ: “Antakya is the city where I was born, with which I had great childhood memories. Everything was wiped out in just two minutes, everything was destroyed. Much of my family has lived hard there. Unfortunately, two family members did not survive, and a third is in a coma with serious injuries.”
Yalcin Karaoglan (right) here with Pierre Seifert
“Yalle” swallows and continues: “Other family members of mine scraped themselves out of the rubble with their bare hands in order to then free other people at great risk of their lives – because it took a long time for helpers to reach Antakya.” Karaoglan is struggling for more words. The earthquake continues to tremble within him.
He says: “My family is now completely mixed up, living in all directions in emergency shelters in Konya, Bursa, Ankara, Antalya. It’s amazing what happens when a whole city falls apart.” Sad testimonials that also shocked his Prussian family.
Sporting Director Pierre Seiffert says: “When we heard this sad news, we had the idea that we would do something with Thomas and Thorben where the proceeds of the auction would be donated to the affected region.”
In addition to the auction sum, more is to be collected for the earthquake victims. For this purpose, the BFC has a donation account on its own website (bfc-preussen.de) and the club’s social channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) built.
Good friends for a long time: Yalcin Karaoglan and Thomas Häßler Photo: BFC Prussia
Stadium spokesman “Yalle” immediately went to his Instagram account after the accident (yalcin.karaoglan) launched a personal appeal for donations. He says: “Every cent is important, can save lives…”
And Yalle says about Thomas Häßler: “A world champion without airs and graces, a really great person. I thank him, Thorben Marx and Pierre Seiffert from the bottom of my heart for this great support. And I wish all people in Turkey and Syria a lot of strength.”