[52239] Turkish Sports: Statement of intent at Beşiktaş and 'holy water' scandal at Antalyaspor

[52239] Turkish Sports: Statement of intent at Beşiktaş and 'holy water' scandal at Antalyaspor

Rüştü Reçber promises a championship for Beşiktaş next season, while at Antalyaspor, tensions rise over the use of religious rituals before a match against Galatasaray.

Points of interest in Turkish football

In the shadow of preparations for the next season in the Turkish league, reports were recorded today (May 6, 2026) dealing with professional ambitions alongside controversial events.

Statement of intent at Beşiktaş

The channel BEŞİKTAŞ SEVDALILARI reports that Rüştü Reçber, in an interview for the 'Beyaz Futbol' program, clarified that the team intends to continue the existing process. According to Reçber: "Bırakmıyoruz, yeni sezonda buradayız. Yapacağımız transferlerle şampiyon olacağız." (We are not leaving, we are here in the new season. With the transfers we will make, we will be champions).

The 'holy water' scandal at Antalyaspor

On the less professional side of the map, the channel Haber Gündem reports on a storm at the Antalyaspor club, which is in a struggle for survival in the league. Ahead of the away game against Galatasaray, claims arose that the team's players poured "holy water" on the grass of the pitch.

According to the report, the club's president, Rıza Perçin, responded to the criticism regarding the use of puzzling religious rituals on the football pitch by saying: "Dua okuyan hocamız da olabilir, ne var bunda?" (We might have had a religious figure with us reading prayers, what is the problem with that?). The affair sparked a broad public debate about the integration of religion and sports in the professional league.