Funeral Ceremony for Muhammad Ali; Erdogan Not Allowed to Speak

The funeral ceremony for Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer and American civil rights activist, was held with the presence of thousands, including prominent artistic, social, and political figures from around the world. Meanwhile, it is reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and King Abdullah of Jordan were not allowed to speak at the ceremony. According to CNN, the funeral took place on Friday in Louisville, Kentucky, with thousands arriving from various parts of the U.S. and the world. The prayer service for Muhammad Ali was held on Thursday, attended by nearly 14,000 people. The boxing champion and civil rights activist passed away at the age of 74 on June 3. Reuters reported that approximately 100,000 people lined a 37-kilometer route on a warm, sunny day, shouting his name in respect. Reports indicate that at the funeral, comedian Billy Crystal, Brian Gamble, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton spoke. Bill Clinton remarked that he decided to write his life story when he was very young. During the ceremony, Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of the Jewish religious publication 'Tikkun,' began his speech amidst applause from the audience, stating, 'I am here representing American Jews, saying that Jews have played an important role in solidarity with African Americans in their struggles, and today we stand in solidarity with Muslims around the world and in this country, telling politicians or anyone else that we will not allow Muslims to be blamed for the actions of a few.' Meanwhile, reports indicate that the ceremony was accompanied by some controversies. According to the Washington Post, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not allowed to speak at the main part of Muhammad Ali's funeral, he left Louisville, Kentucky, for Turkey on a private plane with several officials from his country. The Turkish President's office announced that Mr. Erdogan shortened his trip but did not provide further explanation. Initially, Erdogan's name was included in the list of speakers alongside Bill Clinton and Billy Crystal, but on Monday, Bob Gunnell, Muhammad Ali's family spokesperson, announced that the names of two guests had been added to the list of speakers for the funeral. The Washington Post noted that the addition of these two names effectively removed Erdogan and King Abdullah from the main speakers' list. Bob Gunnell stated that these two leaders graciously understood and accepted this issue. The Washington Post also reported that some reports suggest that Erdogan's speech removal was due to reasons other than the addition of the two new speakers. Erdogan attended the prayer service for Muhammad Ali on Thursday. A Turkish news agency reported that on the day of the prayer service, Erdogan intended to place a piece of cloth from the Kaaba on Muhammad Ali's coffin, but the organizers of the ceremony opposed this request. Meanwhile, some unconfirmed reports indicate that Muhammad Ali's family invited Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish religious figure, to attend the funeral, which upset Erdogan. Gülen is considered an opponent of Erdogan and currently resides in the U.S.