- Fenerbahce fined 115,000 euros for protest during Turkish Super Cup, staging a walk-out and fielding an Under-19 team
- Club president Ali Koc calls for reform in Turkish football, criticizing perceived biased treatment and unfavourable decisions by the federation
Nigerian international Bright Osayi-Samuel’s Turkish club, Fenerbahce, was fined 115,000 euros ($123,175) on Thursday for protesting during the Turkish Super Cup.
Fenerbahce staged a walkout in the first minutes of last Sunday’s match against Galatasaray, alleging unfair treatment. They fielded an Under-19 team and left the field after Galatasaray took an early lead.
In response, the Turkish Football Federation awarded Galatasaray a 3-0 victory and fined Fenerbahce heftily.
Fenerbahce’s president, Ali Koc, emphasized the need for a reset in Turkish football, expressing discontent at what the club perceives as biased treatment. Fenerbahce, currently vying for their first Turkish title since 2014, trails champions Galatasaray by two points with seven rounds remaining.
The club had requested a postponement of the Super Cup ahead of their Europa League quarter-final against Olympiakos, scheduled for Thursday. Additionally, Fenerbahce urged for a foreign referee to officiate the Super Cup, citing previous unfavorable treatment by Turkish referees. However, both requests were denied by the Turkish Federation.