Super Eagles’ Osayi-Samuel Faces Lengthy Ban for Role in Trabzonspor, Fenerbahçe Fans Fight

Olawale Ajimotokanwith agency report

Super Eagles full-back, Bright Osayi-Samuel, has been summoned by the 

Turkish Football Federation over his role in the violent scenes that marred a championship match.

Osayi-Samuel joins three other Fenerbahçe players and officials who are under scrutiny for their ignoble roles during the fans fights  that followed the ill-mannered clash between Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce just before the last international break.

The incident unfolded on March 17th at Trabzonspor’s Papara Park in Trabzon, where chaos ensued as jubilant Fenerbahçe players celebrated their 3-2 away victory.

Amidst the post-match frenzy, Osayi-Samuel reportedly punched a masked supporter who had breached the field, an act that swiftly landed him in the disciplinary spotlight.

Aside from Osayi-Samuel, Fenerbahçe’s Dutch defender Jayden Oosterwolde was also summoned for allegedly kicking the same supporter, as reported by French media outfit, RFI. 

Adding to the fray, two club employees from Fenerbahçe are also being called to account for their involvement in the altercation.

In a broader context, the ramifications extend beyond Fenerbahçe’s camp, as an assistant coach from Trabzonspor has also been summoned in connection to the incident, further entangling both clubs in the disciplinary process.

The repercussions of the violence have reverberated throughout Turkey, drawing stark comparisons to a previous incident just three months prior, where a club manager’s assault on a referee rocked the Süper Lig.

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, minced no words in condemning the recent violence, denouncing it as “absolutely unacceptable.”

In the aftermath, law enforcement detained 13 Trabzonspor supporters, with five facing pre-trial detention.

However, the general secretary of Trabzonspor has called for their release, asserting that they were unjustly apprehended.