ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Former Turkey national soccer team defender Ahmet Calik died Tuesday in a traffic accident near Ankara, his current club said.
The state-run Anadolu Agency said the 27-year-old Calik, who had been playing for Ittifak Holding Konyaspor, was killed after he lost control of his car in slippery conditions. The vehicle overturned and landed in a field.
Calik was heading to Ankara from the city of Konya, where he is currently based, to deal with paperwork ahead of his wedding, Anadolu quoted his childhood friend, Onder Eryildirim, as saying.
Calik began his career with Ankara club Genclerbirligi before transferring to Galatasaray in 2017. He joined Konyaspor in 2020.
He played for Turkey’s national team eight times since 2015, according Fanatik newspaper.
“I am saddened by the loss of my brother Ahmet, this beautiful person who left deep impressions on me with his gentlemanly stance, his humanity, his private life and character,” Konyaspor president Fahih Ozgokcen said in a statement.
A funeral was planned for later on Tuesday in Ankara’s Elmadag district.
Konyaspor has requested that its Turkish league game against Medipol Basaksehir on Saturday be postponed, Anadolu reported.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
