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| A poster of late Nelson Mandela hangs from TT Arena Stadium in Istanbul. |
Supporters of Istanbul giant Galatasaray on Tuesday openly paid tribute to Nelson Mandela, after the Turkish Football Federation debilitated to discipline two top Ivorian club players for their homage to the late South African hostile to politically-sanctioned racial segregation courageous person.
Star striker Didier Drogba had uprooted his club shirt after a match Friday against SB Elazigspor to uncover a T-shirt that read "Thank You Madiba", utilizing Mandela's faction name.
Drogba is around the candidates of the African Football Confederation's 25-man shortlist for the prize of African Footballer of the Year for 2013.
Partner Emmanuel Eboue likewise honoured the previous South African president who bit the dust on Thursday with a T-shirt that said "Rest in Peace Nelson Mandela".
The Turkish Football Federation said the two players confronted disciplinary activity for rupturing a boycott on wearing political mottos and messages on T-shirts.
In any case late Tuesday Galatasaray supporters vented their indignation at the choice brandishing pennants that read "No to Racism" and "Madiba the planet will always remember" when the Turkish players entered the field after a Champions League match against Juventus.
Turkish Sports Minister Suat Kilic has lashed out at the football authorities, approaching the organization to audit its ruling against the two star players.
"I don't find it a sound decision as far as Turkey's picture abroad and the two footballers' (flexibility of) interpretation," he said.
Us President Barack Obama headed planet tributes Tuesday to Mandela, hailing him as "a goliath of history" at a commemoration at Soweto's World Cup stadium went to by a huge number of South Africans.
On Tue, Dec 10, 2013
