By Victor Kanayo
Many football fans have shown support for children impacted by the earthquake in Turkey by throwing thousands of animal toys inside the the pitch during a match between Besiktas and Antalyaspor on Sunday.
The earthquake disaster had killed over N50, 000 persons including Ghanaian football star Christian Atsu who was trapped in rubble and was subsequently confirmed dead days after the incident happened around the Turkey and Syria border.
The earthquake first struck Turkey at 04:17 local time on February 6, 2023.
For fans to show solidarity, the Turkish Super Lig game, which ended 0-0, was paused after 4 minutes and 17 seconds to allow fans to throw the gifts onto the pitch.
“Our fans threw scarves, berets and plush toys on the ground of Vodafone Park to be given as a gift to the children in the earthquake region to cheer them up,” Besiktas said in a club statement, captured by Reuters on Monday February 27.
Some Besiktas fans also chanted “government resign” in protest against the official response to the disaster, viewed by many in Turkey as being slow and insufficient.
In some areas, people complained that there were no organised relief efforts and that scores of bodies were slow to be collected, causing the stench of death to spread.
