Footage of Earvin Ngapeth before a Fenerbahçe match attracted attention in Turkey, and less than a week later, the club announced that it was parting ways with its star outside hitter by mutual agreement.
As early as March 23, Turkish media outlets such as Sözcü and Haberler disseminated information and footage showing the French international outside the hall smoking a cigarette while his teammates warmed up before the match against Gebze Belediyespor.

The incident resonated on social media, where critical comments emerged, describing the behavior as a "lack of discipline."
In the match itself, won by Fenerbahçe 3:0, Ngapeth did not appear in play, despite being in the squad.
A week after the incident, Fenerbahçe announced that the contract with Ngapeth had been terminated by mutual agreement.

The time difference between the two incidents does not allow for a definitive connection, although the sequence of events raises questions about the reasons for the separation.
The topic also found coverage in international media such asvolleyball.it, where the public reaction to the case was noted, without drawing a direct conclusion about a connection to the contract termination.
The parting comes at a time when Fenerbahçe is already out of European tournaments and not participating in the title race.
The release of a player of Ngapeth's caliber at this stage of the campaign suggests that an internal assessment of the season has already been made at the club. In a similar context, the decision may also be related to the management of the team's public image, although such a connection has not been officially confirmed.
As early as February 17, 2026, Tours announced that Ngapeth would join the team for the next two seasons (2026–2028), thus returning to the club where his career began.
Until the end of the current season, the question remains open as to where he will continue to play, with one of the options being Indonesia. Ngapeth already has experience with Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi – a club where Bulgarian international Martin Atanasov is currently competing.

Photo:sozcu.com.tr