Turkey detains soccer player in post-coup crackdown

ANKARA, July 28 (Reuters) - Turkish authorities detained former national team soccer player Bekir Irtegun on Friday as part of the sweeping crackdown following last year's failed coup attempt, Turkish media reported.

CNN Turk said Irtegun, a former Fenerbahce and Basaksehir defender, is accused of being a sympathiser of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for orchestrating the abortive coup.

The footballer was detained by police for allegedly using ByLock, an encrypted messaging app the government says was used by Gulen's network, which the government calls FETO and considers a terrorist organisation, CNN Turk said.