Backlash against Trabzon Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Metin Genç over 'jersey money': Whose pocket did 29 million liras come from?

After announcing that he had purchased 6,661 jerseys following the Mohamed Salah transfer and launching a campaign, Trabzon Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Metin Genç faced questions from social media users regarding whose money was used to pay for the jerseys.

At the center of the controversy were calculations based on current Trabzonspor jersey retail prices. 

Given that the price of the jersey in question is 4,499.99 liras, the calculation that purchasing 6,661 units would cost 29 million 974 thousand 433 liras caused public outrage to grow rapidly.

'Double standard' debate on social media

Criticism regarding the jersey purchase was not limited to the size of the expenditure. Social media users and opposition representatives brought up allegations of a "double standard," pointing to recent investigations launched against various municipalities over significantly smaller expenditures or tender processes.

Some social media users expressed their reactions regarding the jersey purchase with the following questions: 

"Did he pay for this from his own account? If he paid from his own account, we need to look at his latest asset declaration.

If he paid from the municipal budget, on what grounds? If he had the contractors who won tenders pay for it, that raises an entirely different issue." they questioned.

They even called on authorized officials to investigate the matter.

The public debate has reignited discussions not only about transparency and accountability in municipal spending but also about whether public institutions and the judiciary apply the same standards to similar incidents.

#Trabzonspor With the valuable support of our friends, brothers, colleagues, and sponsors who are passionate about the club, we are doing what is necessary as we do every year. ????

By purchasing 6??6??6??1?? jerseys #Trabzonsporwe are supporting our club. ??

Come on, great fans of the great Trabzonspor... pic.twitter.com/t6g6Boyez8

— Ahmet Metin Genç (@ahmetmgenc) August 5, 2026

News Source: 12punto