During a playoff football match in Istanbul, an unfortunate incident occurred when a seagull was hit by the ball mid-flight, causing it to fall dramatically onto the pitch. The captain of the amateur team Istanbul Yurdum Spor, Gani Çatan, reacted instinctively by rushing to the downed bird and attempting to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Footage of the event quickly circulated online, capturing the unusual effort of the player trying to save the seagull.

Çatan described his thought process, saying, "Something fell down, and I recognized that it was a seagull. The first thing that came to my mind was a heart massage since it couldn't breathe, so I tried my luck." Despite his good intentions, specialists have since commented on the situation, noting that such an endeavor is "anatomically impossible," suggesting that the structure of a seagull's anatomy would preclude the effectiveness of a human attempting to perform CPR in this way.

This incident, while entertaining to some, also raises questions concerning animal welfare and the responses of individuals in emergency situations. While Çatan’s actions may reflect a human desire to help, they also highlight the need for proper training in such scenarios, as well as an understanding of the limitations when dealing with wildlife under distress.