Watch: Turkey football fans throw toys on field for earthquake-affected children during match in Istanbul

The game between Besiktas and Antalyaspor was stopped 4 minutes 17 seconds after the kick-off, representing the time (4:17 am) when the first of the two deadly earthquakes struck on February 6

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Fans throw toys on the pitch for children affected by earthquake during a Turkish Super League match. Photo: Reuters

By Web Desk

Published: Mon 27 Feb 2023, 7:40 PM

Last updated: Mon 27 Feb 2023, 7:46 PM

Spectators at a football match in Turkey on Sunday threw stuffed toys on to the field, a mark of solidarity with children in areas devastated by earthquakes earlier this month.

The match between Istanbul club football powerhouse Besiktas and Antalyaspor was stopped four minutes 17 seconds after the kick-off, representing the time (4:17 am) when the first of the two deadly earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria on February 6.

With play halted, Besiktas supporters threw thousands of soft toys on to the pitch, according to the BBC, which said the toys will be distributed among children in the quake-ravaged areas of Turkey and Syria. TV cameras captured the remarkable moment when toys rained down and players clapped.

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Besiktas have launched a campaign asking fans to bring stuffed toys to its home ground, Vodafone Park, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency.

Players of both clubs, including those on the benches, volunteered to collect the toys from the pitch, it said.

The licence plate codes of the 11 Turkish provinces jolted by the quakes flashed on the scoreboard at the stadium, Anadolu Agency reported.

The death toll in the February 6 twin quakes has reached 44,374 in Turkey, with close to 6,000 fatalities in Syria.

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Web Desk

Published: Mon 27 Feb 2023, 7:40 PM

Last updated: Mon 27 Feb 2023, 7:46 PM

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