- Fenerbahce president Ali Koc was pushed to the ground and hit with a bottle.
- The shocking incident took place after Fenerbahce’s 2-2 draw with Goztepe.
There has been more violence in Turkish football, with Fenerbahce president Ali Koc the latest victim of a worrying trend.
The shocking incident took place after Fenerbahce’s 2-2 draw with Goztepe on Saturday afternoon.
Koc was hit by a bottle thrown from the stands after initially being pushed to the ground by a pitch invader.
The incident was captured on video and posted on social media, going viral within minutes.
This is not the first time that violence in Turkish football has made headlines. Over the past decade, the country’s football culture has seen repeated outbreaks of aggression by fans, often during high-stakes matches.
More violence has broken out in Turkish football, with Fenerbahce president Ali Koc the latest victim of a worrying trend
The shocking incident took place after Fenerbahce’s 2-2 draw with Goztepe on Saturday.
Koc (pictured above) was hit by a bottle thrown from the stands after initially being pushed to the ground by a pitch invader.
The latest attack, caught on camera and widely shared online, has reignited concerns about the safety of Turkish football referees, players and fans.
The video shows Koc, who is being escorted off the field, being pushed to the ground before being hit by an object thrown from the crowd.
The Fenerbahce president stood up and managed to leave without help and protected by security personnel.
It is unclear whether the bottle was deliberately thrown at him or as part of a wider disturbance, but the impact and subsequent reaction highlight the dangerous atmosphere that has developed in some of Turkey’s most heated footballing environments.
Violence in Turkish football is not a new phenomenon. Mail Sport has reported extensively on the issue over the past 12 years, describing numerous cases of crowd disturbances, stadium bans and clashes between rival fans. However, attacks on high-profile figures such as club presidents mark a worrying escalation.
Turkish football has always been associated with passionate fans, but in recent years that passion has led to violence. Derbies between clubs such as Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas have been particularly notorious for incidents of hooliganism. At times, these intense rivalries have spilled over into the stands, with players and referees becoming targets of attacks.
The incident was captured on video and posted on social media, going viral within minutes.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has implemented several measures to curb violence, including increased security at stadiums, but these efforts have only been partially successful.
In 2013, the Istanbul derby between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray was marred by riots, with dozens of fans arrested and several people injured. More recently, in 2022, a Besiktas fan was banned for life after throwing a flare onto the pitch, which narrowly missed the opposing goalkeeper.
