Revered worldwide, it is human nature to want to pay tribute to a great man, who despite suffering unimaginable hardship, remained steadfast in his commitment to equality.
So the decision of Didier Drogba and Emmanuel Eboue to display tributes to Mandela following their 2-0 win against SB Elagizspor seemed perfectly acceptable and right.
Drogba removed his shirt to reveal a under shirt that said “Thank You Madiba”; while Eboue also honoured the anti-apartheid hero, who died aged 95 on Thursday, with a t-shirt that read “Rest in Peace Nelson Mandela”.
However, the disciplinary committee of the Turkish Football Federation thought very differently about it and have summoned the Ivorians to mete out some form of retrospective action to the pair.
The reason? Despite displaying their tributes after the match, they are likely to be sanctioned as the TFF forbids players from displaying political slogans and messages during football matches.
Drogba also took to Facebook to voice his support for the former South African president:
“Nelson Mandela did not only impact Africa, but also the rest of the world. This is a great loss to humanity, because he was a man who refused to abandon the struggle in the face of suffering and was able to change mentalities across the globe. I want to offer my condolences to his family and loved ones and to the entire South African people.”
The decision from the officials to sanction the pair quite rightly drew the ire of social media
So what do you think of the decision - was it fair or a mean and insensitive overreaction? Post your comments in the section below...
