Turkish president vetoes match-fixing changes

ANKARA - AP

Abdullah Gul. Hürriyet photo

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has vetoed amendments that would have reduced prison terms for match-fixing and led to lighter sentences for about 30 club officials and players arrested in a recent rigging scandal. Parliament voted for the changes last week, only eight months after it approved sentences of up to 12 years for anyone convicted of rigging games. The changes led to criticism that they were designed to save Fenerbahce President Aziz Yildirim, who is among those awaiting trial for alleged involvement in the scandal. A statement from Gul's office on Friday said the president vetoed the new reduced term of three years on grounds it was giving "the impression of a special arrangement" to save the suspects. It was a rare veto of government-backed legislation by the president.