Football Madness!!!

Wow, just wow. Football (soccer) here is so ridiculously crazy! Let me back up and tell you what I encountered this week in regards with football.

I was told earlier this week that there was going to be a football game on Thursday that was free and just for women and children. This was due to a punishment of all men after causing riots (ripping chairs out and throwing them on the field, running on the field). I was excited and wanted to go so Trista and I went to the stadium on the European side on Wednesday afternoon. We got our tickets and then walked around and each bought a jersey from the Spice Bazaar. We bought Fenerbahçe jerseys as that is the team in Kadkoy and it is also Beloit colors (blue and yellow).

So yesterday, I wore my jersey all day and was very proud of it. As we got on the ferry, I was surprised I didn’t see anyone else wearing Fenerbahçe colors only the other team, Beşiktaş, which is black and white. A women about my age told me to be careful since I was going to the opposite teams stadium. I didn’t think much about it. I figured it was like in America where there is rivalry but not a huge deal. I was wrong. As we were walking, we had several groups of guys yelling at Trista and I. Mostly me as Trista covered up her jersey with a jacket. Then a group of guys that were yelling from the other side of the street with a huge flag, came over to us and started yelling. It was really scary. I then decided to put on my sweatshirt. I felt much better.

We get to the stadium and had to figure out which door to enter. There were so many people! After we got through on door, we went through another one. That is when I got pulled over by the policeman. Side note: there were so many police there! They pointed to the top of my sweatshirt where you could see a little bit of my jersey. They told me it was a problem as it was against stadium rules to wear Fenerbahçe colors. Well they said this in the little English they spook. So then we went back out and since I had a black tank top underneath, I took off my shirt and put just my sweatshirt back on and put my jersey in my bag. What happened next was completely unexpected.

As we were going through the doors again, they checked my bag and the policewomen pointed to my jersey. About five Beşiktaş fans walked by and saw my jersey in my bag. They all start screaming that I can’t go in there and I shouldn’t be here if I support Fenerbahçe . They did speak English well. I was trying to explain I would leave it in my bag and that I just wanted to watch the game. By this point, there were several police around and I was so mad and upset. So we just left. Trista was already having a bad day and this made us both in bad moods. I never thought it would be like this. I was warned they loved their team but not being able to wear the colors of the other team was not what I was expecting.

Today in class, my teacher said she saw that my team lost as I had class yesterday and was wearing my jersey. I then explained my story and she was also shocked. I guess the rule is new just this year. Anyway, that is my football craziness story!

This was Wednesday after getting the free tickets

The Beşiktaş stadium

Waiting to get in

Us all covered up. This was in Kadikoy after coming back from Beşiktaş  and we really were not in the best moods but we were together so it made it better.