PM gives blessing to TFF rigging solution

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan believes the clubs should not be punished for the faults of its officials. AA photo

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan backed the Turkish Football Federation’s (TFF) decision to ban club officials and players but clear clubs in the match-fixing case.

Speaking to reporters upon his return from Italy on May 8, Erdoğan said that “individuals, not institutions” should be punished.

“I have always said institutions should not be punished for individuals’ faults,” Erdoğan said. “When you punish institutions, you punish thousands, millions of fans who support those institutions.”

Erdoğan’s comments came after the TFF cleared all 16 Turkish clubs, including defending champion Fenerbahçe, of involvement in an alleged match-fixing scandal.

However, two officials from Fenerbahçe, in addition to former Istanbul BB midfielder İbrahim Akın and former Gençlerbirliği goalkeeper Serdar Kulbilge were among 10 people that were banned from football due to involvement in match-fixing.

Erdoğan has told the same to the UEFA President Michel Platini during the European football’s governing body’s annual congress in Istanbul in May. However, Platini did not agree with the Turkish Prime Minister.
Platini has said he “agreed in principle” with Erdoğan on the issue but the current rules have to be obeyed.

“On principle, I agree,” Platini said. “(But) this is how it is. If there is another way, we’ll think about it.”