ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A cycling-enthusiast governor rode into an unexpected political storm in Turkey when he found himself sacked after photos of him in snug cycling shorts went viral. He has since also become the center of a campaign pressing for his return to office amid an outpouring of affection. Mehmet Fatih Cicekli, the governor of Ardahan province in eastern Turkey, was removed from his post on July 17 by a presidential decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. While no reason was given for his dismissal, it came after some Turkish politicians criticized him for wearing cycling tights during a public event promoting the sport and for posting the photos on social media. Advertisement Advertisement"He goes around in tights, spends all day cycling, with bodyguards in front of him, cycling in tights until the evening," the T-24 news website quoted Alp as saying during a parliamentary debate last week.