Featured Image Credit: Getty * X/@alperbakircgl
Topics: FIFA Club World Cup, Morocco, Turkey
Josh Lawless
Topics: FIFA Club World Cup, Morocco, Turkey
A World Cup commentator was sacked at half-time after mentioning a "forbidden name" during a broadcast.
Over in Qatar, Alper Bakircigil was describing the action between Morocco's 2-1 win over Canada.
Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri were both on target for the North African outfit, who went on to reach the semi-finals.
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Bakircigil was working for Turkish broadcaster TRT but ended up being sacked by his employers after the first-half.
He brought up that the fastest ever goal in World Cup history was scored by Hakan Sukur just 10 seconds in back in 2002.
Sukur found the net 51 times in 112 games for Turkey but his name being mentioned was deemed controversial and appeared to result in his dismissal.
Taking to Twitter, he wrote: “I was cut off from the TRT institution, where I worked proudly for many years, after the event that took place today. Separation is included in love. Hope to see you again. Goodbye..”
After retirement, the former Galatasaray, Inter Milan and Blackburn Rovers striker entered politics and was later linked with terrorism.
Sukur and his family then fled to the United States after he was accused of playing a role in a failed coup attempt in 2016.
A year later and a decree was put out to revoke all of his career honours
Since moving to the US, Sukur owned a cafe and then began working as a Uber taxi driver.
He and his family received green cards and he set up football school in Palo Alto, California, for boys aged between 10 and 17.
The former striker did previously speak about the accusations, telling German news outlet Welt Am Sonntag: “I have nothing left. Erdogan took everything: my right to freedom, my right to freedom of speech and my right to work.
“I never did anything illegal. I am not a traitor or a terrorist.”