Fenerbahçe chairman appeals into conviction ruling for match-fixing

ISTANBUL

Azi Yıldırım is currently in southern France as the match-fixing case takes a crucial turn. AFP photo

Fenerbahçe chairman Aziz Yıldırım’s lawyers filed Jan. 20 an appeal into the Supreme Court of Appeals upholding a match-fixing conviction. 

Yıldırım, whose prison sentence of six-years and three-months for match-fixing and leading an unarmed crime organization was approved by the Turkish top court on Jan. 17, appealed for a “correction” of the decision to the Supreme Court of Appeals Prosecutor’s Office. 

The court also upheld the sentences of other Fenerbahçe officials, including İlhan Ekşioğlu, Şekip Mosturoğlu, Tamer Yelkovan and Cemil Turan, for their involvement in manipulating several games in the 2010-2011 Turkish championship. 

The case had been putting Fenerbahçe’s 2010-2011 season, in which it beat Trabzonspor to the title on goal difference, under scrutiny. The investigation also involved a number of players and officials from Beşiktaş, Eskişehirspor, Sivasspor, Giresunspor and Diyarbakırspor, and the Supreme Court also upheld the decisions on them. 

The conviction means Yıldırım will no longer be eligible to be the Fenerbahçe president, according to the code for football club administrations. 

Yıldırım also faces at least two years in prison, due to Turkey’s execution laws. He has already spent one year in jail while under arrest between July 3, 2011 to 2012. 

The 61-year-old is currently on holiday in France and is expected to return to Turkey late on Jan. 21. The Fenerbahçe chairman will hold a press conference later this week.