Fenerbahce call for suspension of Turkish league after attack

Fenerbahce have called on Turkish Football Federation to suspend the Turkish Super Lig season following a gun attack on the team bus Saturday night.

The Canaries were travelling back to the airport following their 5-1 win over Caykur Rizespo when the attack was carried out in the city of Rize.

The coach driver was taken to hospital after sustaining injuries in the incident.

No players, including Super Eagles forward Emmanuel Emenike, were injured.

But the club has called for the national league to be halted until those involved have been brought to justice.

“We consider that as long as this attack is not solved in a way that satisfies Fenerbahce and public opinion, a suspension of the championship is inevitable,” a club statement read.

“Blood ran and football was silenced. Finding and punishing the culprits is of vital importance for Fenerbahce.”

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said an investigation was under way.

The Turkish Football Federation condemned the attack and Fenerbahce general secretary Mahmut Uslu said the incident was “very wrong”.

“We come here to do sport; we come to play football,” said Uslu, who was on the bus at the time of the attack.

Abdulcelil Oz, the governor of Trabzon in the north-east of Turkey, initially said the bus appeared to have been hit by a stone but later released a second statement, saying it seemed to have been a bullet.

“The latest situation is that it appears to be a gun,” Oz said.

“It is too soon to say anything definite, but it appears to be a type of bullet fired by a rifle.”

Fenerbahce are currently one point clear of Galatasaray at the top of the league table.