If there is no Atatürk, there is no Turkey!

It strikes such a spark that Turkey is reborn from its ashes!

When Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe were not permitted to take the field with Atatürk banners and t-shirts for the Super Cup match scheduled to be played in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, the fuse blew!

Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray decided not to take the field. While the two teams did not leave their hotel minutes before the match was set to begin, Ali Koç’s words left their mark on the crisis meeting.

“If there is no Atatürk, there is no Turkey, we are not here, and there is no match!”

The upright stance, honorable and determined attitude of the two teams showed the world states once again, in the 100th year of our Republic, that we will not compromise on our National Anthem, our love for Atatürk, or our flag, which are our red lines.

I was one of those who questioned, “Why is the Super Cup, where we celebrate the 100th anniversary of our Republic, being played on the soil of a country that is hostile to Atatürk and Atatürk’s values?”

It is a good thing it happened this way. The scandal that took place thousands of kilometers away from Turkey, and the honorable stance displayed by the Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray executives and the players of both teams, made the headlines of the world press. The summary of the headlines was:

“The reason for the cancellation of the cup match was a conflict of religion and values with the Saudis!”

Yes. They tested Turkey’s values thousands of kilometers away on Bedouin soil. This time, they tested Turkey’s values from within football, a sector where millions of dollars flow like water and where one could be brought to heel with heavy fines. And they were shocked.

The grandchildren of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who said, “Freedom and independence are my character” and who built the main artery of our Republic on the principle of secularism, did not bow down.

December 29, 2023, the night of the Super Cup final, when we as a nation witnessed Saudi Arabia’s hostility toward secular Turkey and the Republic of Turkey, is a turning point!

This turning point struck such a spark that,

At midnight, thousands of fans flocked to Sabiha Gökçen Airport with enthusiasm.

The eternal rivals, whom we said would never come together, the fanatical Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray supporters, stood together, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm!

In Istanbul, IETT buses began the day in the early morning hours with Atatürk’s words, “Peace at home, peace in the world,” written on them. Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray fans from Ankara moved toward Anıtkabir arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder, with chants of “Peace at home, peace in the world.” As a nation, we had longed for this upright stance and the beauty of being united.

December 29 struck such a spark that the grandchildren of Mustafa Kemal said, “Even if we support different teams, vote for different political parties, or think differently from one another, we are one in the values of the Republic, and we will not compromise.” In the 100th year of our Republic, no event was as effective in bringing our nation together as the scandal in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps no derby cup has ever made this nation this happy.

The Turkish nation once again showed the world states that Atatürk and his values are its red line.

Let those who seek to create an enemy from the December 29 turning point, and those who turn the issue into anti-Arab sentiment, know that our concern is anti-secularism and reactionism. Our red line is our sensitivities. Atatürk and his principles are at the very top of these sensitivities.

It is said that Saudi officials are preparing to call on their citizens not to invest or vacation in Turkey by turning the Super Cup final scandal into anti-Arab sentiment…

Do not come to a country where you experience a clash of values anyway, and do not invest.

Because Turkey is secular and will remain secular!

Note: 2023 was a bad year. In the disaster of the century, we lost thousands of our people in one night.

As 2023 was coming to an end, it struck a beautiful spark. December 29 is a turning point that will go down in history. I hope with all my heart that 2024 will bring freedom and happiness to our country with the spark struck from this turning point…