02.11.2026 10:20
Footage of Midyeci Ahmet eating at a table he had set up on the sidewalk by the road while watching athletes sweat it out in the Istanbul Marathon has drawn a huge backlash.
The behavior displayed by businessman Ahmet Çiçek, known worldwide as Midyeci Ahmet, during the Istanbul Marathon drew a huge backlash on social media and in public opinion. Çiçek watched the athletes and competitors sweating in the marathon while eating at a special table he had set up on the sidewalk by the road.
SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTED
Footage of those moments featuring Midyeci Ahmet sitting at a lavish table set up in a way that occupied the sidewalk and watching the race spread quickly. This attitude displayed in the face of the athletes' struggle was described by viewers and social media users as "disrespectful" and "showing off."
CITIZENS' REACTION TO FINE AND OCCUPATION
Citizens who flooded the comments under the footage reacted strongly both to the occupation of the public sidewalk and to the attitude displayed. Some of the prominent comments on social media were as follows:
- "Will this business that occupied the sidewalk be fined?"
- "An attention-seeker. This is nouveau riche behavior..."
- "The business has occupied the sidewalk. Will you fine it?"
- "This person is a very disgusting individual..."
- "A person wouldn't be this much of an enemy to their own brand."
- "Not a single person stood up and said, what kind of rudeness is this."
After the backlash, it became a matter of curiosity whether the authorities would fine the business for occupying the sidewalk.