The Turkish Super Cup final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce in Saudi Arabia was postponed because of a disagreement between the clubs and the host nation’s authorities.
The Turkish Football Federation and the clubs blamed “problems in organising” the match after authorities refused banners referring to the revered father of modern Turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Galatasaray and Fenerbahce were expected to arrive for the showpiece between Turkey’s league champions and cup winners with banners bearing Ataturk’s words “Peace at home, peace in the world”, which the Saudi authorities would not allow.
The players were also not allowed on to the pitch wearing T-shirts bearing Ataturk’s image.
Ataturk launched a programme of revolutionary social and political reform to modernise Turkey, serving as its first president from 1923 until his death in 1938.
These reforms included the emancipation of women, the abolition of all Islamic institutions and the introduction of Western legal codes, dress, calendar and alphabet, replacing the Arabic script with a Latin one.
The decision to hold the match in Saudi Arabia had been criticised in Turkey, given 2023 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the modern Turkish Republic.
Turkish Super Lig clubs Samsunspor and Besiktas called for the match to be played at their stadiums.
In mid-December all Turkish leagues were suspended after referee Halil Umut Meler was assaulted by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca.
