Turkish fans brawl at wheelchair match in Germany

The fight erupted on May 7 during a Champions Cup game when around 60 supporters from the two clubs attacked each other with knives and baseball bats in the sports hall in Zwickau, near Chemnitz. 

“The game had to be abandoned and seven fans were taken to nearby hospitals. Six of them were released after receiving treatment,” said a police spokesman in a statement. No serious injuries were reported.

A bus-load of around 50 supporters left the sports hall immediately after the fighting broke out and they were briefly detained by police near Erfurt, which is 120 kilometers west of Zwickau, as their bus was searched.

Police were continuing to investigate.

This is not the first time violence has broken out between fans of the rival Turkish clubs, who are both based in Istanbul, at a wheelchair basketball match.

In 2012, 10 supporters were arrested after a clash during a game in Istanbul when fans sprayed fire extinguishers at each other and police used tear gas to break up the fighting on the basketball court.