Hatayspor have announced their withdrawal from the Turkish Süper Lig following the devastating earthquake that struck the nation on Monday, with Ali Koç, president of the Turkish Union of Clubs, confirming the news Thursday.
Hatayspor's Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu remains missing despite the club's vice president saying earlier this week that he had been rescued from the rubble with injuries and transported to a hospital.
As of Friday, it was reported that the club's sports director Taner Savut is still missing or feared trapped under debris.
"Hatayspor sent a letter. They notified us that they will not play this season's games," Koç said at a news conference along with Turkish Football Federation (TFF) president Mehmet Büyükekşi.
"If Gaziantep FK also wants to withdraw from the league, we plan to continue with 17 teams, provided that the rights of these two clubs remain intact," adding that Gaziantep were yet to take a decision.
The same applies to Yeni Malatyaspor who with Gaziantep province were close to the epicenter of the earthquake and was badly hit.
Hatayspor are 14th in the Turkish top flight's standings while Gaziantep are 10th. Hatayspor director Volkan Demirel did not respond to a request for comment.
After an engaging discussion with the Association of Clubs, President of the Turkish Football Federation, Mehmet Büyükekşi, issued a statement expressing his anticipation for the return of football action on March 3-4.
In the wake of the devastating 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes that struck Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, Turkish Football Federation President Mehmet Büyükekşi, along with Clubs Union Foundation President Ali Koç and several of its members, convened at the Kuruçeşme Divan Hotel to strategize a path forward for the beloved sport.
After a lengthy, 4.5-hour meeting, Büyükekşi remarked, "We had a constructive discussion with the president and other club presidents about ideas to move forward."
Expressing deep sorrow and condolences over the devastating disaster, Büyükekşi shared: "Our anguish is immense. Our nation is facing the calamity of the century. The Association of Clubs invited us today for an incredibly productive and meaningful gathering. The president and other club chiefs joined the conference to discuss potential solutions. Before that, the federation had already donated TL 20 million to the AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority). But today, our clubs provided an exceptional proposal. To support the cities damaged by the earthquake, we plan to put in place 500 or 1,000 containers, split into two parts, and make them available as soon as possible."
Büyükekşi expressed that they had exchanged ideas on how to aid earthquake victims, saying: "We have an upcoming match between Trabzonspor and Basel in the European competition. President Ahmet Ağaoğlu suggested that the revenue generated from the portion of the match hosted in Trabzon be donated to affected individuals. It is my hope that this will be a beneficial contribution to those who have been stricken by the earthquakes."
In the statement made at the beginning of the week, Büyükekşi stated that they had decided to play this week's league matches at the end of the next weekend.
However, after meeting with the club presidents, he said: "As we can see, our plight is immense. Thousands of our citizens remain buried beneath the rubble. We have decided to commence with these matches on March 3-4. We hope that, with the support of these predictions and our clubs, we can make it to that date. We shall always take decisions together and act in unison. Tomorrow (Friday), we shall meet with the clubs from the 1st League, followed by the 2nd and 3rd League Clubs Association on Tuesday. We hope that all stakeholders in football will be able to come together and act in solidarity. We shall listen to their wishes and make joint decisions."
Ali Koç shattered the belief that only the Turkish Süper Lig big four clubs are actively involved in volunteering initiatives by saying: "In the press, there may be the misapprehension that only the four big clubs are involved in the container city project; however, this could not be further from the truth. Without exception, each of our clubs is doing their utmost to contribute to this noble endeavor. Konyaspor has already donated 100 pieces, while Galatasaray has taken initiatives to aid the cause. Adana Demirspor and Istanbulspor have also joined the initiative and Ankaragücü has done their part as well. Football is often seen as a divisive element in society, yet the solidarity that this project has inspired has been nothing short of admirable. We will gather all of our work and contributions together under one roof, a testament to the great nation, people and citizens we have. Everyone is striving to do their best and make a difference, and that is something to be commended."
He also announced the proposal for the state via the Ministry of Youth and Sports to help offset any potential financial repercussions for Hatayspor and Gaziantep FK.
Koç revealed that they have been presented with generous match offers from foreign federations and clubs with the aim of providing assistance.
Büyükekşi also revealed that the UEFA had offered assistance, expressing that: "The UEFA offered to send 300,000 euros as a show of solidarity. Furthermore, they sent a letter to the general secretaries and presidents of 54 countries, seeking assistance. Our strong ally Azerbaijan, who we consider to be as one nation, is determined to help UEFA, not just financially but through direct action. We are grateful for this. Thank you."
As of Friday, the death toll from the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria on Monday had soared to a staggering 21,000, with the TFF confirming that several players and coaches from across divisions had tragically lost their lives.
