We want to ban by law insulting the national team

The head of Turkish football, Ibrahim Hacioglu, has called for legal measures to prevent insults directed towards the national team following their early exit from the World Cup. In response to the criticism faced by players on social media after the team's elimination, Hacioglu, president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), urged the Minister of Justice to take action against such behavior. He expressed strong disapproval of the comments made about the players and emphasized the need for a legal framework to address these issues. "In which country in the world does such shame exist?" he asked during his statement to journalists at the team camp ahead of their final group match. Hacioglu extended his support to coach Vincent Montella and condemned the insulting remarks aimed at the players after their tournament exit. He addressed the Minister of Justice, whom he highly respects, and requested him to initiate work on this matter. Highlighting examples around the world, he questioned how any nation could allow such disgraceful behavior. He stressed the urgency of implementing legal regulations to prevent societal moral decline and promote football development. He believed that the respected minister would begin this task as soon as possible. Hacioglu stated that they had intended to make the nation proud but failed to achieve that goal. He thanked thousands of citizens who traveled worldwide to support the team and expressed regret over not being able to please 85 million people. However, he noted that even in adversity, there is always some good outcome. He assured that both the coach and players would be protected, emphasizing that the team was not just a club and that replacing 15 players with new ones was not feasible. He mentioned that names of coaches were being discussed but clarified that discussions about Montella’s resignation had not taken place. As a leader, he insisted on understanding the psychology of players and coaches and supporting them rather than putting them under pressure. Taking responsibility for the failure, Hacioglu stated that the management and himself would accept the blame. While acknowledging reasonable criticism, he rejected those he deemed immoral. He pointed out that negative comments began from the first match, including claims of chaos within the team and the captain assembling the squad, which he viewed as disrespectful. He addressed those who crossed moral boundaries and attempted to assign other labels to the players, questioning the necessity of creating division within the team. He shared a message received from the 21-year-old daughter of a Trendyola director, urging protection for the young players and expressing admiration for her stance. He also highlighted the role of sports luck, noting that if Merih's shot in the last moment had gone into the net instead of missing the post, the conversation today would have been entirely different. He referenced statistics from the last two matches, pointing out that 65 shots were taken, and questioned whether the team played poorly. When asked if there was pressure on the players, he concluded that the only discomfort came from the immoral criticisms, and there was no actual pressure on the players.