.Trabzonspor
take legal action
By Akeem Lawal
Turkish side, Trabzonspor have confirmed an official
criminal complaint over racist abuse allegedly suffered by Nigeria
international John Obi Mikel, Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.
A group Fenerbahce fans are said to have targeted the
Nigerian midfielder after their Super Lig meeting at Trabzon's Senol Gunes
Stadium on Saturday.
The former Super Eagles captain was in action for the entire
duration to help his side secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Istanbul
giants. The tension-soaked encounter saw Luiz Gustavo sent off late on for
dissent, while Fenerbahce midfielder Emre Belozoglu argued with a furious Mikel
after the final whistle.
Local media claim that thousands of abusive messages were
sent to Obi Mikel's social media accounts, as well as to his family after the
victory.
On Monday afternoon, Trabzonspor released a statement
announcing their criminal complaint over the matter.
It read: "Racism is a refuge for helpless and
ignorant people.
"Our player, Obi Mikel, condemns the racist attacks
after the Fenerbahce match. We inform the public that we have filed a criminal
complaint against the culprits."
It has also been reported, but not confirmed, that the
former Chelsea man will file his own case to authorities.
This is his first season in Turkey after leaving
Middlesbrough in the summer, making 22 appearances so far.
In an Instagram post following the win, the 32-year-old
chose to pay tribute to his team and fans, writing: "Great victory
tonight, amazing team spirit, thank you to our amazing fans."
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