The sports world is doing its best to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine. But it seems Turkish footballer Aykut Demir has refused to do so.
Erzurumspor captain Demir was the only player in Turkey’s second division not to wear a ‘no to war’ t-shirt before losing 1-0 to Ankaraguku on Sunday. This has created a huge stir as the tee was meant to be worn to show solidarity with Ukraine and is facing a severe backlash.
@fifacom @uefacom Dear Associations! Please cancel the license of a player named “Aykut Demir”, the captain of Erzurumspor FC in the Turkish Football League. He doesn’t deserve it because he has refused to wear a shirt denying the war in Ukraine.https://t.co/icoQKZuX6P— Tulga Eren (@TulgaEren) February 27, 2022
Aykut Demir is associated with the Naqshbandi spiritual order of Sunni Islam Sufism, he refused to wear a No War t-shirt, but when he left Trabzonspor, he asked for compensation with exchange rate difference and interest.. . pic.twitter.com/jJML7Fc3d1— Riza Seref (@RizaSeref) February 27, 2022
Bir sporcu ‘Savaşa Hayır’ tişörtü giymeyi neden istemez ki? Bu Nasil Biri Boyle? Muhammad Aykut Demir, Hollanda Dzumlu Turk Futbolkudur. 1. Lig ekiplerinden bb.erzurumspor’da oynamakta ve üstelik takım kaptanı. pic.twitter.com/3P02yVrlm
— i (@TheDemli) February 27, 2022
Demir is forced to explain why he refuses to wear a ‘No to War’ T-shirt.
Demir, who was born in the Netherlands but played for the Turkish national team, emphasized the issue of double standards, saying that people in the Middle East suffer on a daily basis but no one cares for them. “Thousands of people die every day in the Middle East. I feel sad too. I share the pain of innocent people,” he told Football Anatolia.
The footballer said that while people react to any kind of suffering in Europe, harassment is ignored in the Middle East. He said that he did not wear a T-shirt because no such T-shirt was ever made for the suffering countries in the Middle East.
The Israel-Palestine war alone has taken many lives in both countries over the years. According to a report by Forbes, between 2008 and 2020, 5,600 Palestinians died and about 115,000 were injured, while the Israeli casualties stood at 250 and about 5,600 were wounded.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted widespread outrage in the sporting world, with athletes criticizing Moscow’s conduct and increasing calls for the country to be banned from international competition.
St Petersburg were dropped from their role as hosts of the UEFA Champions League final, which is scheduled for 28 May. The game has now been moved to the Stade de France in Paris.
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