Kahramanmaraş, Feb. 8, (dpa/GNA) - Sports teams have been hit by the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria on Monday, with Turkish state news agency Anadolu on Wednesday reporting casualties across teams in the disaster zone.
Others have been evacuated and fund-raising efforts have also started in the wake of the quake in Hatay and 9 other southern provinces which according to latest figures has claimed almost 7,000 lives in Turkey alone.
Footballers of Süper Lig sides Atakaş Hatayspor, Gaziantep FK and second division Malatyaspor are either dead or missing.
Hatayspor’s Christian Atsu was rescued alive, while Sports Director Taner Savut is believed to be under debris nearly 60 hours after the quake.
The Hatayspor and Gaziantep teams have been flown out of the disaster zone to safety.
Malatyaspor goalkeeper Ahmet Eyüp Türkaslan died in the quake.
One member of amateur league side Kahramanmaraş İstiklal Spor died, while another is still trapped under rubble and a third one is in intensive care after being rescued.
Women’s volleyball side Gaziantep player Betül Çoban Çakır and her husband, Bedrettin Çakır, have also died, along with an amateur league player in the sport.
Wrestlers from France, Kosovo and Uzbekistan who were in Kahramanmaras for a competition, were safely evacuated. But some Turkish wrestlers are believed to be trapped there.
National Women’s Basketball team player Nilay Aydoğan is still trapped in Malatya province.
Basketball Super League side Gaziantep were in Istanbul at time of quake and are now in Germany for a FIBA Europe Cup game.
Broadcaster NTV reported that at least 15 sportspeople – 11 players from a second division volleyball team and four amputee footballers – are trapped under the debris of a hotel in the Malatya province.
Relief efforts also include fund-raising, with Turkish international footballer Merih Demiral, who plays at Italy’s Atalanta, auctioning off a signed Cristiano Ronaldo shirt. The highest bid stood at over €14,000 ($15,000) on Wednesday.
“All of the proceeds from the auction will be used in the earthquake zone,” pledged Demiral who said he has also convinced other players such as Roma’s Paulo Dybala.
GNA