Mehmet Akif Üstündağ Hits Back at Zoran Terzić: “He Should Not Look for Work in Turkey Again”

Turkey's women's national volleyball team reached the European Championship final with a 3-0 victory over Serbia, but the match was followed by a fierce confrontation off the court.

Mehmet Akif Üstündağ, president of the Turkish Volleyball Federation, directed his strongest criticism at Serbia coach Zoran Terzić. He said Terzić had made provocative gestures and accused him of betrayal in front of supporters who had previously embraced him.

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You are earning your living from this country. You are investing in this country. Because of the provocative actions and betrayal you carried out here today, I think you should not look for work in Turkey again.

“You are earning your living from this country. You are investing in this country,” Üstündağ said. He added: “Because of the provocative actions and betrayal you carried out here today, I think you should not look for work in Turkey again.”

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These actions were not fitting at all. We have kept silent for a month, and I am speaking for the first time today.

Üstündağ said Turkish officials had remained silent on the issue for about a month and were speaking publicly for the first time. “These actions were not fitting at all,” he said.

He also pushed back against comments about naturalized players. Referring to players including Boskovic, Kurtagic and Vargas, Üstündağ questioned the consistency of criticism aimed at players who had changed national affiliations or received passports. He ended by saying provocative statements would not lead anywhere and that Turkey's team had given the best response on the court.

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Provocative statements will not lead anywhere. I think it worked in our favor, and the team gave the best response on the court.