The event titled “The King of the North at OMU: The Power of Sports and Translation on the Same Field”, jointly organized by Ondokuz Mayıs University’s (OMU) Translation Club and the Department of Translation and Interpreting, was held at the Atatürk Congress and Culture Center (AKM) and received considerable attention.

Special guests at the event included Samsunspor’s Head Coach Thomas Reis, team interpreter İlker Yasin Yücetaş, and players Tanguy Coulibaly and Antoine Makoumbou.

The audience included OMU Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Alper Kesten and Prof. Dr. Çetin Kurnaz, Secretary General Prof. Dr. Erhan Burak Pancar, Head of the Health, Culture and Sports Department Lecturer Selman Aslan, as well as numerous academics and students.

Prof. Dr. Çetin Kurnaz: “We experienced the cultural and human side of sports up close”

In the opening speech, OMU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Çetin Kurnaz emphasized that Samsunspor is not merely a football club but a significant symbol that represents the spirit of Samsun, its perseverance, and sense of unity.

“Today, our students came together with the Samsunspor family and had the chance to experience how sports is not only physical but also cultural and human in nature. Events like these, organized by our university in various fields, contribute to our students’ academic and social development. I sincerely thank Head Coach Thomas Reis, interpreter İlker Yasin Yücetaş, and our esteemed football players for honoring us with their presence,” he said.

Head Coach Reis: “Football speaks a unifying language”

German Head Coach Thomas Reis highlighted the unifying power of football, which brings together all segments of society, and expressed his happiness to be immersed in a new culture in Samsun.

“Our team consists not only of Turkish players. We have players from 14 different countries and cultures. It’s not easy to keep them all united, but football has just one language—and that language unites us. I’m very happy to be Samsunspor’s head coach,” he said.

Reflecting on his experience in Türkiye, Reis added:

“At first, I was afraid of making mistakes. I didn’t want to be disrespectful to the culture or way of life here. But so far, I haven’t experienced any problems. I believe the coming period will be much easier.”

Reis, who has been in Samsun for a year and a half, also praised Turkish cuisine:

“As a German, I sometimes miss the flavors of home, but Turkish cuisine is truly amazing.”

“We aim to represent Turkish football with pride”

Recalling that Samsunspor is competing on multiple fronts this year, Reis acknowledged the high expectations and said:

“We’re competing in a league with very strong teams like Galatasaray. But we are working hard to perform at our best in every match. As a team representing Türkiye in Europe, we strive to represent not only our city but also Turkish football in the best possible way, and to make the Turkish people proud.”

Heartfelt messages from the players

Experienced midfielder Antoine Makoumbou expressed how happy he was to be in Türkiye:

“I wanted to experience something different, and I’m very happy with my decision. I’ve lived in Italy and Germany too, but the food here is unbelievably good.”

French right-winger Tanguy Coulibaly admitted he’s had challenges learning Turkish, but said he’s determined to master the language soon:

“Turkish food is incredibly tasty—everything I’ve tried so far has been excellent.”

“The language of sports is universal—translation empowers that language”

Throughout the panel, the guests shared powerful messages on team spirit, discipline, cultural diversity, and the unifying nature of sports. The Samsunspor guests emphasized that translation is one of the most important tools that strengthens the universal language of sports.

At the end of the event, students asked questions to the Samsunspor team, fostering an enjoyable and engaging conversation. The program concluded with a commemorative photo session.