1 Turkish Match Fixing Scandal in 2010-2011 and Beyond Fair Play or Fairy Tale? Gamze BAL Journalist Bordomavi.net Supporters Union
Three essential possesions to beat match fixing charge: Politics Economics Media 2 Match fixing is -cheating to lose-. Graham Peaker, UEFA Intelligence Officer June 27, 2013
League Table 2010-2011 3
Some of the people sentenced to imprisonment for match fixing offence by Turkish Court on 02.07.2012: Aziz Yıldırım (President of Fenerbahce) 6 years and 3 months Şekip Mosturoğlu (Vice President of Fenerbahce) 3 years 1 month and 14 days İlhan Ekşioğlu (Vice President of Fenerbahce) 4 years and 4 months and 15 days Aleaddin Yıldırım (Director at Fenerbahce Board) 2 years 7 months and 15 days Tamer Yelkovan (Chief Financial Officer of Fenerbahce) 2 years 9 months Sami Dinç (Legal Advisor of Fenerbahce) 3 years 1 month and 14 days Cemil Turan (Sportive Director of Fenerbahce) 2 years 2 months and 7 days Samet Güzel (Translator of Fenerbahce) 1 year and 15 days Mecnun Odyakmaz (Sivasspor FC-President) 1 year and 6 months and 22 days Bülent Uygun (Eskişehirspor FC-manager) 11 months 7 days İbrahim Akın ( İstanbul BB player) 1 year 6 months and 22 days Korcan Çelikay (Sivasspor FC goalkeeper) 1 year and 3 months Mehmet Yıldız (Sivasspor FC player) 1 year and 3 months 4
A sample wiretap: 5 Ibrahim Akın (İBB player): I have to ask you something. You know we have a game against Fenerbahce this weekend. They said Ibrahim must not score and we will give him $100,000.00. April 26, 2011 A few days before the match between Fenerbahce SK - İBB I met my agent (Yusuf Turanlı) at a restaurant called Big Chefs three days before the game upon his request. He told me that Fenerbahce SK offered me $100,000.00 for not scoring a goal against them. Ibrahim Akın, Public Prosecutor Office July 15, 2011
THREE DECISIVE STEPS TO CLEAR MATCH FIXER CLUBS 6 1. New President Elected for Turkish Football Federation Yıldırım Demirören, The President of investigated Besiktas JK, to become the new boss of Turkish Football Click icon to add picture Click icon to add picture Besiktas JK vice president, manager and IBB player Ibrahim Akın taken into custody
I do not want to be remembered as the president who relegated Fenerbahce. People who question my love for Fenerbahce did not serve the club as Mehmet much Ali as Aydınlar, me. Former TFF President Mehmet Ali Aydınlar, Former TFF President Kanal D, 32. Gün, February 9, 2012 7 Reporter: Why didn t you relegate the clubs involved in corruption? Mr. Aydınlar: For the sake of Turkish football September 18, 2013 Mehmet Ali Aydınlar officially runs for presidency of Fenerbahce. October 22, 2013
Politics involved in the process 8 Sports Law 6222, The Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports was amended to reduce the penalties for match fixing activities to save individuals from getting heavier sentences. Click icon to add picture Click icon to add picture Amendment published in the official gazette
THREE DECISIVE STEPS TO CLEAR MATCH FIXER CLUBS 9 2. Change of Disciplinary Committees of Turkish FF Members of Ethical Committee and Professional Football Discipline Committee replaced Manipulation of results in 11 games and match fixing attempts in 3 games for benefit of Fenerbahce First Ethical Committee Report December 20, 2011
We must punish the individuals involved, the criminals, and not perhaps entire clubs or communities. We have to differentiate between the individual and the legal entity. When a legal entity is punished for crimes committed by individuals, it s not only that legal entity that is punished; perhaps millions of fans and cities are punished. Click icon to add picture Click icon to add picture 1 0 Not attending European Tournaments for 5 years would not change anything, if UEFA punishes Turkey for not relegating Fenerbahce. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
THREE DECISIVE STEPS TO CLEAR MATCH FIXER CLUBS 3. Amendment of Regulations and Codes regarding match fixing sanctions against clubs. 1 1 Thanks God, match fixing activities were not reflected in to the pitch. Yıldırım Demirören, President of Turkish Football Federation April 30, 2012
Match fixing description to end the integrity in sports Professional Football Discipline Committee punished officials, players, managers and employees of 6 clubs* over attempting to fix the results of matches but claimed that professional clubs could not be blamed over individuals activities. 1 2 *Fenerbahce, Besiktas, Eskisehirspor, İstanbul BB, Sivasspor, Genclerbirligi "There is no reason for punishment since the elements of the alleged disciplinary violation have not materialised." Turkish Football Federation April 30, 2012
UEFA AND FIFA HAS TO STEP 1 3 IN IMMEDIATELY UEFA is yet to make its decisions on individuals involved in match fixing. In other European countries, match fixing sanctions are severe but fair. Olympiakos Volou (Greece) was relegated to semi professional league in 2011 over match fixing. Tampere United (Finland) was indefinetly suspended in the same year. Fenerbahce keeps playing in Turkish Super League as if nothing happened. Convicted Aziz Yıldırım is still the chairman of Fenerbahce together with other executives who were sentenced to years in prison. WHY DOES UEFA PLAY FOR TIME?
FREE THEATRE: FOOTBALL Tireless fans struggle to maintain their legitimate campaign against corruption in Turkish football. Click icon to add picture 1 4
1 5 Fans accuse Prime Minister Erdoğan of not giving the 2010-2011 championship cup to Trabzonspor.
1 6 We cannot give might to justice, because might has gainsaid justice, and has declared that it is she herself who is just. And thus being unable to make what is just strong, we have made what is strong just. Blaise Pascal, Pensées