Fans turn their backs on Turkish football

Turkish football has a turbulent history but no-one could anticipate the crisis unravelling this season, writes David Shonfield

Crowds have deserted stadiums; the national team has plunged to new depths; 35 fans have been in court on charges of trying to overthrow the state; and last week, the country’s main football sponsor announced it was ending its financial support for the game.

Yildiz Holding is hardly a household name, even in Turkey, but its products are in virtually every home in the country and under the name of its best-known brand, the chocolate company Ulker, it has pumped more than €185 million into football over the past five years.