UEFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Turkey's Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş over match fixing

NYON, Switzerland

Fenerbahçe Chairman Aziz Yıldırım is seen in this file photo. DHA photo

Turkish football clubs Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe face possible sanctions on match-fixing accusations, European football’s governing body has announced.

“Proceedings have been opened against Beşiktaş and two club officials in relation to match-fixing activities that are alleged to have taken place during the 2011 Turkish Cup final,” UEFA said in a written statement published on its website.

“Furthermore, following the investigation into alleged match-fixing activities involving Fenerbahçe, the UEFA Disciplinary Inspector has now submitted his findings to the Control and Disciplinary Body, in the context of disciplinary proceedings against this club and five club officials,” the statement read.

Beşiktaş’s case will be heard by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on June 21, while Fenerbahçe’s case will be heard on June 22 at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, the statement added.

“All hearings will be closed to the media, and no access to the UEFA premises will be granted during the proceedings. The decisions of the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body will be communicated in the course of the week starting June 24,” UEFA said.

In a statement filed to the Istanbul Stock Exchange, Fenerbahçe said the case concerns club chairman Aziz Yıldırım, as well as executive board members Alaeddin Yıldırım, Şekip Mosturoğlu, İlhan Yüksel Ekşioğlu and Cemil Turhan.

“The inspector’s report - which is based on claims and does not include any defense or evidence demands ban on the aforementioned executives - claims that our club has been directly or indirectly involved in actions to affect the outcome of matches,” the club said, adding that the report also demanded a two-year ban for Fenerbahçe from all UEFA competitions.

Both Turkish clubs and their executives are involved in a match-fixing probe that started on July 3, 2011, regarding a number of games in the 2010-2011 season, when the league was won by Fenerbahçe.

Several Fenerbahçe officials, including chairman Yıldırım and vice-chairman Mosturoğlu, were found guilty of rigging when the judge gave his verdict last July. The Fenerbahçe chairman was sentenced to six years and three months in prison, pending appeal.

However, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) decided that even though there were attempts to manipulate games, those efforts were “not reflected on the pitch,” and refused to punish any of the teams whose officials were charged with match-fixing. UEFA, however, refused to allow Fenerbahçe to participate in the subsequent season’s Champions League competition, inviting Trabzonspor to compete in its place.