Alper Tezcan Forced To Auction Galatasaray UEFA Cup Medal

Former Galastasaray star Alper Tezcan has been forced by unfortunate circumstance to put the UEFA Cup winners' medal he won in 2000 with the Turkish giants up for auction on the website Hemalhemsat.com.

The ex-full-back was forced to retire in 2001 after two years of inactivity due to an injury sustained playing against Bologna during Galatasray's successful attempt on the trophy. He has been compelled to take this action as a measure to try and secure his family's future, as both his parents are in poor health.

Tezcan faced complications due to the injury, with him enduring 11 different operations on his leg with little overall success. He returned to action in the lower divisions of Turkish football in 2001 but was forced to retire soon afterwards.

The medal was one of twenty gold winners' medals issued to the Galatasaray team, who overcame English giants Arsenal on penalties in the final to land the trophy that season.

"I do not need the money, but health. I can also reclaim this medal later. Since the health condition of my mother and my father is not good, I had no other choice," he explained to German football website gazetefutbol.de, before revealing that he has received little assistance from the club themselves.

He added, "Not a single functionary from Galatasaray was with me. Even after the incident in the media, no one has communicated with me. Only Özhan Canaydin called me."

The starting value of the medal was set at €250, but that has now risen to approximately €52, 000 after a reported 1174 bids were made. The auction ends on February 23.

Zack Wilson, Goal.com