In a remarkable act of sportsmanship, a Turkish footballer Gani Catan, heroically saved a seagull's life by administering CPR after it was struck by a ball during a match.
Key Points
- Footballer Gani Catan performed CPR on a seagull after it was struck by a ball during a match in Turkey.
- The seagull was unresponsive until Catan administered CPR and chest compressions.
- Despite his team finishing on the losing side, Catan stated that saving the seagull was more important than winning the championship.
A footballer's quick thinking brought a seagull back to life after the bird was struck by the ball during a match in Turkey, Anadolu Agency reported.
The incident occurred in the first half of the Istanbul First Amateur League playoff final between Mevlanakapi Guzelhisar and Istanbul Yurdum Spor in Zeytinburnu.
Istanbul Yurdum Spor goalkeeper Muhammet Uyanik cleared the ball up the pitch and it struck a seagull, sending it plummeting to the turf.
Team captain Gani Catan rushed over and seeing that the bird was unresponsive, he began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and chest compressions in an attempt to revive it.
The seagull responded and showed movement before Catan cradled it and rushed to the touchline to hand it over to medical staff.
"Our captain Gani Catan brought the seagull back to life thanks to the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) he performed on the field," the club said on Instagram.
Although Istanbul Yurdum Spor lost the game, Catan had no regrets.
"We missed out on the championship, but helping save a life is a good thing," he said. "This was more important than the championship."
© 2026