Turkish Football history is currently living its worst and most turbulent days. Incidents on the field are not any better. Surely, the ones who are most affected of these situations are the fans. When a team gets a penalty, the usual and accustomed punishment is to play a match without supporters. However, in the September of 2011, the federation declared that women and children under the age of 12 would be allowed to these games, and the tickets would be free for all. Turkish media reported this new decision with pride.
Most women in Turkey is really excited and happy about this new practice, but many fail to see how degrading it is. Yes, some women are afraid to attend games because men get carried away and it gets really dangerous. The solution is not this, though. Allowing only women and children to a game and still calling this a punishment is nothing but an insult. It is not hard to come to the conclusion that women are not considered supporters, since the punishment clearly states that the game will take place with no fans on the bleachers.
This practice also brings to mind the idea that women are weak, and this is the only way they can safely attend a game; without violent men being there. The Turkish Football Federation is enforcing this idea into people’s minds, further triggering a prejudice that already exists within our society.
All in all, at a time when the federation is dealing with endless problems, a degrading decision like this does nothing but strengthen gender inequality, another huge problem in Turkey.
