Turkish footballer hailed as hero after saving stunned seagull

ISTANBUL

A Turkish amateur footballer has gone viral for saving a seagull's life with CPR after it was struck down during an Istanbul match.

Gani Çatan, a 32-year-old accountant and captain of amateur club Yurdum Spor, raced across the pitch on Feb. 22 after a ball knocked the low-flying bird to the ground during a playoff.

"I acted on instinct, or maybe I once saw someone do this on a dog or a cat," he told AFP a few days later as he watched the club's youth teams train.

As it hit the pitch, Çatan leapt into action and started performing rudimentary CPR, pumping the bird's ribcage.

"When I started the chest compressions, it began moving its legs. The more it moved, the more I kept going," he said.

When it started breathing, he carried it off the pitch to medical staff, who took care of it.

Match commentator Onur Özsoy didn't miss a beat.

"Muhammet hit the seagull!" he gasped, referring to the goalie.

"They're doing chest compressions on the seagull right now. This is a moment rarely seen in football history."

By that evening, videos had gone viral on social media and Çatan said his phone began ringing nonstop.

"We'd lost the match, so I wasn't in a good mood. Then, overnight, the messages started coming in. We were shocked by how fast it spread," he said.

"It's been in the press in Brazil, Italy, America..."

Since the Istanbul match, Çatan has received animal rights organisation PETA's "Hero to Animals award."

Originally from the northern province of Tokat, where he lives with his two cats, Çatan had dreamed of playing football since childhood.

The story ended sadly, however, as the bird later died, according to a commentator who witnessed the incident.

Yurdum Spor is considering adding a seagull to its logo in tribute.