• 

ISTANBUL, Turkey, Mar 18 – Former Nigeria international John Obi Mikel has quit Turkish football club Trabzonspor, the team said, after the former Chelsea midfielder said he did not want to play as the new coronavirus spread worldwide.

“The contract has been ended by mutual agreement with John Obi Mikel,” Trabzonspor said in a statement late Tuesday.

The deal between the player and the team had begun on June 30 last year and was meant to last until May 31, 2021.

He criticised the Turkish Football Federation’s (TFF) move to let Super League matches continue without spectators, unlike in other countries where games have been suspended.

“There is more to life than football. I do not feel comfortable and don’t want to play football in this situation,” Obi Mikel wrote on Instagram on Saturday.

“Everyone should be home with their families and loved ones in this critical time. Season should be cancelled as the world is facing such turbulent times,” he added.

The 32-year-old played for Chelsea for over 10 years. He retired from international duty after last year’s Africa Cup of Nations after making 89 appearances for Nigeria.

The TFF on Tuesday rejected growing calls for matches to be suspended.

Among those opposed to any delay of Super League matches is Trabzonspor chief Ahmet Agaoglu who said any decision to cancel would lead to a rise in divorces.

Trabzonspor — one of the major non-Istanbul-based clubs — are currently at the top of Turkey’s Super League.

Turkey confirmed its first novel coronavirus-related death on Tuesday as the number of cases in the country rose to 98.

gkg-raz/fo/mw

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

AK orders closure of all athletics camps

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Mikel leaves Turkish team over virus fearsrn

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Liverpool’s Milner goes viral, snaps coronavirus gloomrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn South African cricketers in self-isolationrn

rn rn Cricketrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn IOC says no ‘ideal’ solution for Tokyo Olympics as athletes voice virus concernsrn

rn rn Gamern rn rn rn 11 minutes ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Struggling Super Rugby pushed towards oblivion by virus crisisrn

rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn 4 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn US PGA Championship called off amid coronavirus pandemicrn

rn rn Golfrn rn rn rn 4 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Mikel leaves Turkish team over virus fears

rn rn rn rn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Liverpool’s Milner goes viral, snaps coronavirus gloom

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

South African cricketers in self-isolation

rn rn rn Cricketrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

IOC says no ‘ideal’ solution for Tokyo Olympics as athletes voice virus concerns

rn rn rn Gamern rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Struggling Super Rugby pushed towards oblivion by virus crisis

rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?

ntt
• NO
ntt
• YES
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

US PGA Championship called off amid coronavirus pandemic

rn rn rn Golfrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Durant among Nets players diagnosed with COVID-19

rn rn rn Basketballrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

What next for European football?

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

French World Cup winner Matuidi catches coronavirus

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Joshua title defence could be delayed by virus chaos: promoter

rn rn rn Boxingrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn AK orders closure of all athletics campsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool’s Milner goes viral, snaps coronavirus gloomrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn South African cricketers in self-isolationrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn COVID-19: tough times for Kenyan sportsmenrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn IOC says no ‘ideal’ solution for Tokyo Olympics as athletes voice virus concernsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn ntttnttttnttttt

ntttttt
• Latest
ntttttt
• Trending
nttttttttttttt
• Videos
nttttttttttt

nttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn AK orders closure of all athletics campsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool’s Milner goes viral, snaps coronavirus gloomrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn South African cricketers in self-isolationrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn COVID-19: tough times for Kenyan sportsmenrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn IOC says no ‘ideal’ solution for Tokyo Olympics as athletes voice virus concernsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 18th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */