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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan cut short his trip in the United States where he went to attend Muhammad Ali’s grand funeral and returned to Turkey without attending it.
Erdoğan decided to return to Turkey after first attending the funeral held at Freedom Hall where he took the ring for the first time in Louisville province of State of Kentucky where he was born and raised, and then fast-breaking meal held by Meskhetian Turks.
Two allegations
According to CNNTürk’s report citing Nafiz Albayrak from the Doğan News Agency (DHA), there are two allegations being rumored.
It has been claimed that Erdoğan wanted lay Kaaba cover on the coffin at the funeral but this request was turned down by being said “We will lay it down later”.
Furthermore, Erdoğan’s request to read Quran at the funeral with Mehmet Görmez, the President of Religious Affairs was rejected, and that Erdoğan decided to return to Turkey earlier than planned.
His speech also was cancelled
It was also declared that President Erdoğan was among the speakers at the funeral of Muhammad Ali.
Nevertheless, Ali family’s spokesperson, Bob Gunnell pronounced that due to adding two other figures in the speech list, there was no place left for guests coming from abroad and Erdoğan was taken off the speaker list. (EKN/TK)
