Fenerbahçe-Beşiktaş derby ends in tragedy as fan dies in the stands

Gerçek Yaşar had come to Istanbul with his 16-year-old son, Gazi Yaşar, to watch Fenerbahçe play live for the first time. The outing ended in tragedy when the supporter suffered a heart attack in the stands during the second half of the derby against Beşiktaş at Chobani Stadium.

Yaşar, a Fenerbahçe fan, had become a veteran in 2003 after he was wounded in a clash with militants while serving as a gendarmerie first lieutenant in Bingöl. He later worked at the Mut Forestry Operations Directorate in Mersin before retiring.

After he became ill in the stands, an ambulance took him to hospital. Doctors determined that he had suffered a heart attack, but he died despite medical efforts.

Following the match, both Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş published condolence messages. Yaşar’s body was taken to his hometown of Mut in Mersin, where he was scheduled to be buried the following day at noon.