This is severe; if the problem is not resolved to Turkey's satisfaction, it may withdraw from EuroBasket.
When he and Georgia's Duda Sanadze got into a fight on the court during Turkey's EuroBasket loss on Sunday, Philadelphia guard Furkan Korkmaz was sent off.
However, it was claimed that after Korkmaz was ejected, Sanadze and several other Georgian players who hadn't changed into game attire attacked him as he attempted to return to the locker room (Georgia is hosting Group A games). The Turkish national team's official statement, as provided by EuroHoops.net.
Omer Onan, vice president of the Turkish federation and a former player, provided the following account of what happened: "While Furkan Korkmaz was walking in the hallway to the locker rooms with our trainer, Georgia's players who were not on the active roster attacked him along with the player who had been ejected (ed. note: Duda Sanadze) and the police. Attacks on players entering the locker room are inappropriate. Thirty police officers each shoved us into a fight after the game. With the official police of Georgia, we got into a fight. In addition to calling FIBA, I have also informed FIBA's officials. No one should mislead oneself or believe that we are ignorant. They'll bring us the complete, uninterrupted camera footage from that hallway minute by minute. We will withdraw from this competition if those cameras do not approach us.
There is nothing to grasp onto, no matter where you look. Shengelia, the non-competing player, proceeded to the locker room with three other spectators. The police were in front of our locker room after the game. They claimed to be there to defend us, yet they were pushing us all the while. We intended to fight by striking one other with our fists.
No information has been provided on whether Korkmaz was hurt during the purported incident.
Turkey has two games left in their EuroBasket schedule and is 2-1 in Group A. (Tuesday against Belgium and Wednesday against Spain). They are about to enter the competition's knockout round, but they are threatening to withdraw to keep their athlete safe.
We'll watch to see whether FIFA looks into it and takes any action. It would be an enormous understatement to label FIFA's handling of inquiries and imposition of sanctions "inconsistent."
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