Fans of the Turkish football club Besiktas showered the team’s Istanbul pitch with thousands of toys to benefit children affected by this month’s massive earthquake during Sunday evening’s match with Antalyaspor.
(Bloomberg) — Fans of the Turkish football club Besiktas showered the team’s Istanbul pitch with thousands of toys to benefit children affected by this month’s massive earthquake during Sunday evening’s match with Antalyaspor.
Vodafone Park was packed with 40,000 fans, many of whom responded to the club’s request to bring toys to the stadium. The match had been postponed from November due to a terror attack on Istanbul’s landmark Istiklal Street.
The game was paused at the 4:17 mark to remember the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey’s southern region three weeks ago. Fans threw thousands of plush toys and scarves onto the field in a gesture of support for the children affected by the disaster.
Prior to kickoff, fans also paid tribute to the more than 50,000 victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, including former Chelsea player Christian Atsu and goalkeeper Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan who both played in Turkey. Some players broke down in tears on the field during the ceremony.
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The toys were gathered by players and staff and will be sent to the affected are and distributed to children impacted by the disaster.
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