Alper Bakircigil, a commentator for Turkish state broadcaster TRT, was fired at half-time during a World Cup 2022 group-stage match between Morocco and Canada after mentioning the name of former striker Hakan Sukur. The incident occurred when Bakircigil compared Hakim Ziyech's early goal to Sukur's record-breaking fastest World Cup strike, which was scored in 11 seconds against South Korea in 2002.
Commentator dismissed mid-broadcast
Bakircigil was informed of his sacking during the interval of the match, which Morocco won 2-1. He was sent packing that same day, and his social media accounts were subsequently taken down. In a post that was later removed, Bakircigil wrote: "I was cut off from the TRT institution, where I worked proudly for many years, after the event that took place today. Separation is included in love. Hope to see you again. Goodbye."
Why Hakan Sukur's name is controversial in Turkey
Sukur, 54, is a former Galatasaray and Blackburn Rovers striker who remains Turkey's all-time leading scorer with 51 international goals. However, his name has become taboo on state television after he was accused of involvement in the failed 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Sukur fled to the United States in 2015 and was later charged with membership of the Gulen movement, which Turkey designates as a terrorist organisation.
In the US, Sukur worked as an Uber driver and established a football school for boys. In April 2023, after seven and a half years in California, he and his family were granted green cards, allowing them to live and work in the country indefinitely. Sukur has consistently protested his innocence, telling German newspaper Welt Am Sonntag: "I have nothing left. Erdogan took everything. My right to freedom, my right to freedom of speech and my right to work. I never did anything illegal. I am not a traitor or a terrorist."
Impact on Turkish broadcasting
Bakircigil's dismissal highlights the sensitivity surrounding Sukur's name in Turkey, particularly on state television. Once celebrated as a national hero and five-time Turkish Footballer of the Year, Sukur is now considered a forbidden topic in public discourse. The World Cup final was scheduled for Sunday at 8pm UK time, but the incident has drawn attention to the political constraints faced by broadcasters in Turkey.
