AFCON 2025
Galatasaray have launched legal proceedings against former referee and sports pundit Ahmet Çakar after he claimed Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen suffers from a “serious health problem.”
Çakar, 63, made the allegations during an appearance on Beyaz TV’s Derin Futbol programme, stating he had “received information from the Ministry of Health regarding Victor Osimhen’s illness,” though he declined to share further details, citing his role as “a sportsman and father.”
“This is a very sad day for me. Unfortunately, I have received information that Osimhen has a very serious health problem. I hope this is not true.”
He added that he spoke to Galatasaray’s club doctor, Yener İnce, who allegedly claimed that “4–5 black players in the Super League have this illness,” and said Osimhen’s test was “negative.” Çakar also asserted: “Galatasaray officials are also aware of this situation,” and said, “some countries need to know about certain illnesses.”
Osimhen, who joined Galatasaray from Napoli in the summer, is currently with Nigeria’s Super Eagles as they prepare for World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin. He has not responded publicly to the claims.
In response, Galatasaray acted swiftly. They filed formal complaints to the courts, the Ministry of Health, and Turkey’s media regulator, RTÜK. Club insiders say the allegations angered both management and their medical department, who view them as a direct attack on the club’s integrity and medical staff.
