Turkish league leaders Fenerbahce call for suspension of Super Lig after team bus is attacked by gunman
Fenerbahceu00c3u0083u00c2u00a2u00c3u0082u00c2u0080u00c3u0082u00c2u0099s head coach Ismail Kartal (right) looks at the shattered window of their team bus in Trabzon late on Saturday
Ankara: Fenerbahce have called for the suspension of the Turkish championship following the gun attack on their team bus on Saturday. The bus came under armed attack as it drove to the airport following an away match at Caykur Rizespor in Turkey's Super Lig.
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The wounded driver of Fenerbahce's team bus holds his head after sustaining an injury when a gunman attacked the vehicle in Trabzon late on Saturday night. Pics/AFP
Fener said on their official website the bus driver was wounded in the attack and taken to hospital and there was no mention of any injuries to anyone else.
A statement on the club's official website yesterday said: "We consider that as long as this attack is not solved in a way that satisfies Fenerbahce and public opinion, a suspension of the championship is inevitable. Blood ran and football was silenced. Finding and punishing the culprits is of vital importance for Fenerbahce."
Fenerbahce's head coach Ismail Kartal (right) looks at the shattered window of their team bus in Trabzon late on Saturday
'We cheated death'
Following the incident, Fener midfielder Mehmet Topal told Sky News: "We cheated death. God protect us. I hope our driver will be all right. Words fail me. It's unbelievable."
The club posted several pictures of the bus on their website after the attack which showed a shattered side window and damage to the front windscreen.
The pictures also showed blood on the driver's seat and the steering wheel.
'We came to play sport'
The attack followed Fener's 5-1 win away to Rizespor. The bus was going over a viaduct on its way from the city of Rize to the airport in Trabzon to return to Istanbul.
Fener general secretary Mahmut Uslu said on the club website the attack was "very wrong", saying: "We came here to play sport, we came to play football."
The Turkish Football Federation released a statement condemning the attack.
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