A Turkish court yesterday released pending trial an Israeli soccer player who was detained after displaying a message referring to the Israel-Hamas war during a first division match, Demiroren News Agency (DHA) reported.
Sagiv Jehezkel, 28, displayed a bandage on his wrist reading “100 days. 07/10” next to the Star of David while celebrating scoring a goal for Antalyaspor against Trabzonspor on Sunday.
Turkish prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation over Jehezkel’s alleged “incitement to hate,” and his club tore up the player’s contract for “exhibiting behavior that goes against our country’s sensitivities.”
Photo: AP
In testimony to the police, Jehezkel said he “did not intend to provoke anyone. I am not a pro-war person,” the private Demiroren News Agency reported.
The message on the bandage referred to the 100 days of the Israel-Hamas war commemorated on Sunday, and the hostages held since Palestinian militants killed about 1,140 people and abducted about 250 others in an attack in October last year.
In retaliation, Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and launched a relentless military campaign that has killed at least 23,968 people in the Palestinian territory, mostly women and children, Gaza’s health ministry says.
Jehezkel’s display of the Star of David — the official symbol on the Israeli flag — clashed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s harsh condemnation of Israel’s military actions and support for the Palestinian cause.
The player said he never intended to get involved in politics and was careful to respect Turkish cultural sensitivities since signing with the Mediterranean coast club in September last year.
“After all, there are also Israeli soldiers taken prisoner in Gaza. I am someone who believes that this 100-day period should end now. I want the war to end. That’s why I showed the sign,” he reportedly told the police.
“I am someone who has nothing to do with politics. Since my arrival, I have not done anything related to politics,” he said. “Since the day I arrived, I have never disrespected anyone. The point I wanted to draw attention to was the end of the war.”
Antalyaspor said it fired Jehezkel for having “acted against the values of our country.”
“Our board will never allow behaviour against the sensitivities of our country no matter it costs championship or trophy,” it wrote on X.
The Turkish Football Federation also condemned “the completely unacceptable behavior,” calling Antalyaspor’s decision to exclude the player from its team “appropriate.”
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their