16.08.2026 07:50
In the first week of the Super League, during the Gençlerbirliği - Fenerbahçe match, the jersey of a 4-year-old Fenerbahçe fan watching the match with his father in the opposing team's stands was forcibly removed. Following the incident, which drew great reaction, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation and issued a detention order. Gençlerbirliği condemned what happened and announced that they wanted to host the little fan at their facilities wearing his Fenerbahçe jersey.
The Gençlerbirliği - Fenerbahçe match played at Eryaman Stadium in the opening week of the Süper Lig witnessed a sad incident that no one wants to see on the football pitch.
During the match played at Eryaman Stadium, an individual in the Gençlerbirliği stands interfered with the Fenerbahçe jersey worn by a little child who was watching the match with his father. Despite the reactions of those around and the intervention of police officers on duty, the 4-year-old child's jersey was forcibly removed. The spread of the footage of those moments on social media caused a huge uproar in the sports community.
DETENTION ORDER FROM THE CHIEF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
After the footage drew reactions, the judicial authorities acted quickly. The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an ex officio investigation into the suspect who carried out the act. According to the statement made by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a judicial process was initiated against the suspect on charges of violating the Law on the Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports and depriving a child of their liberty, and a detention order was issued.
APOLOGY FROM GENÇLERBİRLİĞİ
Following the sad incident, an official statement also came from Gençlerbirliği Sports Club. In the statement, which emphasized the club's 103-year values of hospitality and sportsmanship, it was stated that the disrespect in question was directed not only at the child but also at the club's history.
In the statement from Gençlerbirliği, which announced that they wanted to host the little fan at their facilities wearing a Fenerbahçe jersey, the following expressions were included:
"The images of an attempt to remove the Fenerbahçe jersey worn by one of our children during today's match have deeply saddened us. This disrespect has been shown not only to a little Fenerbahçe fan but also to the 103-year history of Gençlerbirliği. This incident is incompatible with both the values of football and Gençlerbirliği's stand culture. Especially when it involves a small child, this is clearly unacceptable behavior. For us, a child wearing the opponent's jersey is, above all, our child. We condemn this isolated incident and share the sorrow experienced by our little Fenerbahçe child and his family. We particularly emphasize that we stand by the right of every spectator to feel safe in the stands and by the love of football. We present to the public that we will follow up on this sad incident and that we want to host our little child at our facilities with the jersey of the team he supports as soon as possible."