The Turkish Super Cup final, featuring Galatasaray against Fenerbahçe at Riyadh’s Al-Awwal Park stadium, has been postponed. The decision reportedly followed Saudi officials’ refusal to allow images of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic, during pre-match events.
Amidst a backdrop of deep political division in Turkey, the incident has triggered intense debates. Supporters of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government perceived it as part of an ongoing conspiracy against their leadership, while opponents saw it as a failure of the government to uphold Turkey’s secular traditions.
The controversy intensified with allegations that Osman Aşkın Bak, the Turkish Minister of Sport, and Mehmet Büyükekşi, president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), pressured the clubs to participate despite the dispute.
The incident has even been framed as a covert effort by Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç to create a diplomatic crisis, challenging the AKP government’s authority and sparking further controversy within the nation’s already polarised political landscape. Government supporters questioned their possible involvement, drawing parallels to the Gezi Park protests and the 28 February ‘post-modern coup’.
The controversy over displaying a banner with Atatürk’s quote “peace at home, peace in the world” also gained attention. While some parties framed this as a stance on the Gaza issue, Kurdish observers highlighted the irony in this slogan, critiquing the insincerity of both the Erdoğanists and secularists towards the concept of peace, especially concerning the Kurdish issue.
The incident, coinciding with the centenary of Turkey’s secular republic and amidst improving Turkey-Saudi relations, has sparked widespread debate. This scandal adds to a month of controversy in Turkish football, including the arrest of Ankaragücü’s president and the league’s suspension due to violence.
The Turkish Football Federation, along with Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, announced the postponement, and a new date and location for the final remain undecided.