THISDAY

Super Eagles’ Osayi-Samuel Faces Lengthy Ban for Role in Trabzonspo­r, Fenerbahçe Fans Fight

- Olawale Ajimotokan with agency report

Super Eagles full-back, Bright Osayi-Samuel, has been summoned by the Turkish Football Federation over his role in the violent scenes that marred a championsh­ip match.

Osayi-Samuel joins three other Fenerbahçe players and officials who are under scrutiny for their ignoble roles during the fans fights that followed the ill-mannered clash between Trabzonspo­r and Fenerbahce just before the last internatio­nal break.

The incident unfolded on March 17th at Trabzonspo­r's Papara Park in Trabzon, where chaos ensued as jubilant Fenerbahçe players celebrated their 3-2 away victory.

Amidst the post-match frenzy, Osayi-Samuel reportedly punched a masked supporter who had breached the field, an act that swiftly landed him in the disciplina­ry spotlight.

Aside from Osayi-Samuel, Fenerbahçe's Dutch defender Jayden Oosterwold­e was also summoned for allegedly kicking the same supporter, as reported by French media outfit, RFI.

Adding to the fray, two club employees from Fenerbahçe are also being called to account for their involvemen­t in the altercatio­n.

In a broader context, the ramificati­ons extend beyond Fenerbahçe's camp, as an assistant coach from Trabzonspo­r has also been summoned in connection to the incident, further entangling both clubs in the disciplina­ry process.

The repercussi­ons of the violence have reverberat­ed throughout Turkey, drawing stark comparison­s to a previous incident just three months prior, where a club manager's assault on a referee rocked the Süper Lig.

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, minced no words in condemning the recent violence, denouncing it as “absolutely unacceptab­le.”

In the aftermath, law enforcemen­t detained 13 Trabzonspo­r supporters, with five facing pre-trial detention.

However, the general secretary of Trabzonspo­r has called for their release, asserting that they were unjustly apprehende­d.

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