Beşiktaş eliminated from Turkish Cup after no-show

ISTANBUL

Defending league champion Beşiktaş was eliminated from the Ziraat Turkish Cup on May 5 after the team refused show up for the resumption of an interrupted semifinal against city rival Fenerbahçe in protest at Turkey’s football federation.

The original second-leg match on April 19 at Fenerbahçe’s stadium was abandoned in the 57th minute with the scores level after Beşiktaş coach Senol Gunes was hit by an object hurled from the stands.

The Turkish federation (TFF) ordered the match to resume on May 3 from the time it stopped and that it be played behind closed doors.

But Beşiktaş maintained it should have been awarded an automatic victory and did not turn up to the resumption, arguing Fenerbahçe supporters were behind the violence.

The TFF on May 5 awarded a 3-0 victory to Fenerbahçe, ordered Beşiktaş to repay any commercial revenue it has earned from the cup competition this season and said the club would be banned from the Turkish Cup next season.

The bitter rivalry between the three Istanbul-based clubs -- Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Besiktas -- is especially intense this season with just four points separating them and the upstart Başakşehir club, also based in the city, at the top of the Spor Toto Super League.