EDITION:

Turkish football league halted after attack on Fenerbahçe team bus

Ersin Çelik
17:006/04/2015, Pazartesi
U: 6/04/2015, Pazartesi
REUTERS

Turkish soccer league suspended for a week following the attack on Fenerbahçe team bus, sports ministry says

The Turkish Super League has been suspended for a week in the wake of the attack on Fenerbahçe's team bus, said the football federation following a meeting with the Sports Minister on Monday.



The bus was shot at after Saturday's away match against Rizespor.



"We believe the incident was a terrorist attack, targeting not only Fenerbahce but Turkish sports. We decided to postpone all league and cup games for a week," federation chairman Yıldırım Demirören told a news conference.



The suspension came after Fenerbahçe had called for a ban on all footballing activities on Sunday.



In a statement the club described the attack as an "assassinaton attempt", linking it to hostility following match-fixing allegations that have swirled around them for months.



"It is a point where football comes to an end since blood has been spilled. It is Fenerbahçe's opinion that the league must be postponed until this incident is cleared up and the feelings of Fenerbahçe supporters are satisfied."



The bus driver was taken to hospital after being wounded in the incident which took place as the team were heading to Trabzon before flying back to Istanbul.



No players were wounded.



Second-placed Fenerbahçe are two points behind arch-rivals Galatasaray with eight games left this season.



Fenerbahçe's next game, at home to fourth-placed Bursapor next Monday, will now take place at a later date.


#Turkish soccer league
#Fenerbahçe football team
#attack on fenrbahçe team bus

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