Controversy over footballer sacked for using dating app

ISTANBUL

The termination of the contract of 21-year-old Emirhan Delibaş, who played for Beşiktaş and trained in the club's youth academy, has sparked debate in the football community after he created a profile on an online dating application and wrote "professional football player at Beşiktaş Club."

Speaking to daily Hürriyet, some prominent members of the football community argued that the decision was made rashly and that Delibaş should at least have been warned and given another chance, while others said, "A professional footballer has to pay attention to his every move. It was right to terminate his contract."

Former Beşiktaş football player Gökhan Keskin said that Demirbaş was one of the youngsters who trained in the organization during his active period.

“He had to remember that he played for Beşiktaş. In my time, we sent him to a few teams, but he came back without playing,” Keskin added.

Recep Tekin, one of the legendary players of Beşiktaş, said that the decision was the correct one, emphasizing that a troubled player can corrupt the others.

Former football player Soner Tolungüç argued that all players have made mistakes in the past, but big clubs should not let talented youngsters like Demirbaş go.

"We were shocked to hear that my son was fired from Beşiktaş. My son played there for 11 years. They terminated his contract without consulting us. The boy in his panic did not know what he signed. The staff did not contact us in any way. A 20-year-old should not be pressured like this,” said Murat Delibaş, the 21-year-old footballer's father.

"Beşiktaş's coach Samet Aybaba wasted my son on purpose. Aybaba has called Emirhan to his room and asked him to leave, and this happened because he wouldn't leave,” he concluded.