Football: Referee cancels Fenerbahce-Besiktas derby

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA (AA) - The derby match between Besiktas and Fenerbahce has been cancelled on Thursday evening as the former Besiktas refused to take the field.

The match referee waited about an hour for Besiktas to show up but the Istanbul club refused to take the field after the violent April 19 derby match.

On April 19, the Istanbul derby football game was called off due to violence after Besiktas Manager Senol Gunes got injured by objects flung from the stands of Fenerbahce's Ulker Stadium.

The Ziraat Turkish Cup's semifinal second leg was postponed at the 57th minute and Turkish Football Federation decided on Wednesday the match will continue where it left off on May 3, but with no fans in attendance.

In a statement released via Besiktas football club's official Twitter account last Thursday, the club said it had decided not to take the field.

"We have always been on the pitch for 115 years, winning, losing or drawing on the pitch. For not accepting to lose with decisions, we will not be on the pitch on May 3, Thursday," the statement said.

Turkish Football Federation is likely to make a final decision about the match in the coming days.

The first leg at Besiktas' home ground, Vodafone Park, had ended 2-2.

Akhisarspor are the first squad to reach the cup final after eliminating Galatasaray.