Turkish FA bans player 12 matches for 'ideological propaganda' about the Kurds

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Conflict between security forces and Kurdish militants in south-east Turkey has spilled into sport, with football authorities punishing the region’s Amedspor club and banning one of its players for 12 matches for “ideological propaganda”.

Violence has flared since the collapse in July of a ceasefire between the army and Kurdish militants. Fighting that has killed more than 40,000 since 1984 has now spread into the streets of towns, many now under curfew.

Turkey’s football federation said on Thursday it had imposed a ban on the midfielder Deniz Naki and a 19,500-lira (£4,600) fine over “unsporting” comments made as second division Amedspor beat Bursaspor last week to win a place in the cup quarter-finals.

“We dedicate this victory as a gift to those who have lost their lives and those wounded in the repression in our land which has lasted for more than 50 days,” Naki, 26, wrote in a Facebook post after the match. “We as Amedspor have not bowed our heads and will not do so. We went on to the pitch with our belief in freedom and won,” said the Germany-born Kurdish player, whose parents come from Tunceli in eastern Turkey. He represented Germany at under-21 level.

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