Congress on agenda in UEFA visit

NYON, Switzerland - Anatolia News Agency

This month’s UEFA Congress in Istanbul was the main agenda during the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) chairman’s visit to Michel Platini, UEFA Vice President Şenes Erzik said yesterday.

Erzik, who is also the honorary TFF chairman, said yesterday’s visit by the newly-elected TFF Chairman Yıldırım Demirören to the UEFA Presidency was primarily an introduction meeting and the UEFA Congress was brought to the table.

“It was an introduction meeting,” Erzik said to reporters after the meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, at the headquarters of the European football’s governing body.

“As you know, on March 22 there is the UEFA Congress in Istanbul. The chairmen of 53 federations will be in Istanbul. So we have gone over the details,” he added.

The meeting was believed to be about the match-fixing case that has been rocking Turkish football, but Erzik firmly denied the topic was brought up at the meeting.

Demirören took over the chair knowing he will have to make decisions regarding the teams allegedly involved in the match-fixing case.

A total of eight Super League clubs, including defending champion Fenerbahçe, runner-up Trabzonspor and Turkish Cup holder Beşiktaş, have officials, players or coaches allegedly involved in manipulating or attempting to manipulate games. If they are found guilty, relegation bans or point deductions may be in the cards, and bans on the teams’ European qualifications could be imposed as well.