INTERNATIONAL SOCCER
Hatayspor and Gaziantep withdraw from Turkish top flight after earthquake
Antioquia, hometown to Hatayspor (14th in the Superlig), has been virtually completely destroyed by the earthquake with the club’s stadium serving as a center for victims of the quake.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has approved the withdrawal of two top flight clubs, Hatayspor and Gaziantep FK, from the Turkish Super League as a result of the consequences from last Monday’s earthquake that seriously affected the provinces of these teams.
The TFF confirmed in a statement that it accepts the request to withdraw from the competition of the four implicated clubs (two from the top flight and two from the second tier) affected by the earthquake. Subsequent games will be awarded as wins for the opposing sides but both clubs weill keeping the right to compete in the 2023-24 Turkish SuperLig season.
According to Turkish media, the four teams in question are Hatayspor and Gaziantep FK of the Turkish Super League along with second tier Yeni Malatyaspor and Adanaspor.
The TFF hopes to resume competitive games in the country as of next weekend with all major sporting events currently postponed.
Antioquia, the hometown of Hatayspor, which was 14th in the Super League, has been virtually completely destroyed by the earthquake, and the club’s stadium, still standing has been used as an information center for the victims of the quake.
Hatayspor’s Ghanaian international attacker Christian Atsu is still missing after the earthquake, as is the club’s sporting director, Taner Savut.
Gaziantep, whose club was in 10th place, has also been badly affected, as has the neighboring province of Adiyaman.
In Adana, where the damage has been moderate, with 360 deaths in an overall tally that tops 24,600 victims in Turkey alone, the main team, Adana Demirspor, fifth in the Super League will continue to play this season while Adanaspor has withdrawn from the second division.