(Reuters) – Turkish basketball club Fenerbahce have withdrawn their players from international duty in response to a provocative gesture made by the national team coach during Tuesday’s friendly between Greek side Panathinaikos and Turkey’s Galatasaray.
Ergin Ataman, head coach of Panathinaikos and Turkey’s national team, sparked the controversy after the game by making a gesture which appeared to reference Galatasaray’s 3-1 soccer victory at rivals Fenerbahce on Saturday.
Ataman, a Galatasaray supporter, held up one and then three fingers to the crowd, triggering outrage among Fenerbahce fans.
Fenerbahce’s on Wednesday issued a statement condemning Ataman’s actions and announcing the withdrawal of their players from the national team for as long as he remained in his position.
Basketball website eurohoops.net reported Ataman’s apology, in which he said: “It was in no way my intention to target or offend any community when I did this.”
Fenerbahce were unappeased.
“What he did in front of millions of viewers stands in complete opposition to the dignity and identity of the National Team Head Coach position,” they said in a statement on their website.
“The National Team belongs to all of us. Every individual who is part of this team must act with this awareness and responsibility. This behaviour, carried out in an attempt to appease one community, is a great disrespect to our own community, to the dignity of the National Team Head Coach position, and even to our country.”
Turkey are due to play Hungary in a EuroBasket qualifier in November.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
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