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14/1/2024–|Last updated: 1/14/202411:50 PM (Mecca time)
The Turkish Antalyaspor Football Club announced the exclusion of Israeli player Saqif Gehezkel from the team’s squad, after he pointed to the number 100 written on his wrist, alluding to the beginning of the Israeli aggression on Gaza on October 7.
The club said in a statement, “Following a movement of a political nature by Saqif Jezkel, after he scored a goal in the match against Trabzonspor, the club decided to exclude him from the team squad.”
The club explained that the Israeli player “conducted an act that conflicts with the national values of our country.”
He added, “Our board of directors will never allow any behavior that violates the sensitivities of our country, even if it leads to the loss of a championship or cup.”
The player celebrated by writing the number 100 on his wrist after scoring the match’s goal, alluding to the 100th day since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
Commenting on the exclusion decision, club president Sinan Boztepe expressed his surprise at the Israeli player’s behavior in a way that conflicts with Turkey’s national values.
He added – in a statement – that “the club deleted the scene of the player’s unacceptable behavior from our social media accounts. We will not allow such behavior as long as I am president of this club.”
Football stadiums witnessed a number of similar decisions, but against players who sympathized with the residents of Gaza. Such as: Algerian international Youssef Atal, the French player for Nice, who was sentenced to a suspended prison sentence, and Anwar El Ghazi, whose contract was terminated by the German club Mainz.
The matter reached the point of demanding the expulsion of some players from their clubs, as happened with Moroccan international Nassir Mazraoui, a player for the German club Bayern Munich.
