CHP issues statement on Super Cup crisis: 'Those involved in dirty bargaining will not get away with their actions'

The Super Cup final between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, which was decided to be played in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, during the 100th anniversary of the Republic, was postponed to a later date after Saudi authorities did not permit the Atatürk banner and poster.

Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, who decided not to take the field, returned to Turkey yesterday (December 30) morning. Following this scandal in the Super Cup, citizens called on the TFF to resign.

The Republican People's Party also released a statement regarding the crisis in the Super Cup.

The statement released by the CHP included the following:

"Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray are two of our distinguished clubs founded before the proclamation of the Republic. The Super Cup final, which these clubs were to play in the 100th year of the Republic, should have been played in Turkey. As the Republican People's Party, we did not find it appropriate to take such an important match to a country that harbors hostility toward Atatürk, and we objected to this mistake from the very beginning. Today, we do not find it appropriate to issue a joint statement with those who took the final match to Saudi Arabia. We will not sign the same statements as those who were parties to the bargaining that led to the disrespect shown to Atatürk and our national values. The Republican People's Party will not be part of any work that would exonerate those responsible and will continue to show its own unique stance and reaction. We present our statement, which we share below, to the attention of the public.

To the Press and the Public,

On December 29, 2023, we experienced one of the most painful events in the history of Turkish sports and diplomacy. In the 100th year of our Republic, the Super Cup final could not be played due to the disrespectful attitude of the Saudi Arabian authorities. This disrespect targeted our National Anthem, our Crescent-and-Star Flag, and the Great Atatürk, the founder of our Republic. However, our athletes and clubs did not compromise on such disrespect in the 100th year of the Republic. We wholeheartedly congratulate both our athletes and our clubs. Furthermore, we regretfully condemn the Saudi Arabian administration and authorities, who could not tolerate our Crescent-and-Star Flag, the Great Atatürk, and our National Anthem, and who created problems.

From the moment the decision was made to play the Super Cup final in Riyadh, we as the CHP stated many times that this decision was wrong and demanded that it be reversed. This demand was based on the idea that such an important sporting event should be played in a city in Turkey in an environment where the 100th anniversary of our Republic is being celebrated. However, this was not preferred by the government, and such a decision was made for the sake of certain financial opportunities.

Unfortunately, this was not the first example of the government's unprincipled stance regarding Saudi Arabia. The transfer of the Jamal Khashoggi case, who was brutally murdered in Istanbul, to Saudi authorities; the hosting of the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince, whose name was mentioned in these events, at the highest level in Turkey; the organization of banquets in his honor; welcoming him at the door of the plane and seeing him off to his door; and declaring a day of mourning when the 90-year-old Saudi king died, while not declaring a day of mourning when our 12 soldiers were martyred, demonstrated the government's unprincipled stance on this issue.

It must be known that the Great Atatürk, our National Anthem, and our Crescent-and-Star Flag are not political symbols in Turkey or anywhere else in the world. Such an assessment is unacceptable. Just as we show respect for the history and culture of other countries, we expect our great founder Atatürk, our Crescent-and-Star Flag, and our National Anthem, which unite our nation, to receive the same respect.

Beyond all this, we would like to state that we appreciate the moral stance of our athletes and clubs, while also recalling the Great Atatürk's maxim, 'I like the athlete who is intelligent, agile, and moral.' However, we have observed with sadness that the administrators and government members who made our country's most fundamental values a subject of discussion and bargaining have not received their share of this understanding of morality.

In the 100th year of our Republic, an attempt was made to cast a black stain on the clean forehead of our nation through dirty bargaining. However, our nation has thwarted this game by working together and has shown that it stands by its Ancestor and its Flag to the end.

We observe that our nation is aware of the facts and knows the people responsible for this incident very well. During the Erdoğan administration, the mentality that 'those who do it get away with it' has prevailed. However, rest assured that in Turkey's future, those who committed these acts of disrespect and those involved in this dirty bargaining will not get away with their actions.

Respectfully."