The chairman of Turkish football’s disciplinary committee is expected to resign after text messages about Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho were made public.
Sky Sports News understands Celal Nuri Demirturk has told the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) of his intention to step down and his formal letter of resignation is expected to follow, while other members on the PFDK (Professional Football Disciplinary Committee) may also follow suit.
It follows what Fenerbahce call “hostile” statements about Mourinho in leaked WhatsApp conversations, allegedly between committee members. The TFF has been approached for comment, but it is yet to respond.
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Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill explains why Jose Mourinho feels he is fighting a battle with Fenerbahce and Turkish football
Fenerbahce are also concerned by other alleged internal exchanges which, they say, suggest a bias towards their rivals Galatasaray.
Fenerbahce say the comments “clearly violate the principle of impartiality”. They go on to say: “Our club has made an official application to the Turkish Football Federation in response to the correspondence that has been made public and is claimed to belong to members of the Professional Football Disciplinary Board.
“We believe that this hostile mentality, which clearly violates the principle of impartiality and is based on showdowns and revenge, has no place in Turkish sports.
“The fact that members of one of the most important boards responsible for establishing justice in Turkish football make such statements not only renders the concept of ‘discipline’ dysfunctional but also constitutes a clear attack on the principles of impartiality and equality in sports.
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Fenerbahce head coach Mourinho said he believes the Turkish League is ‘toxic’ and shares his opinion on refereeing in the country
“As Fenerbahce Sports Club, we will be following up on the issue and will continue our struggle for clean football until the end.”
It is understood the WhatsApp exchange relates to Mourinho and an exclusive interview he did with Sky Sports News after he was banned for four matches (later reduced to two) in February.
“After the derby I got a four-match ban,” Mourinho said. “Then it comes to the public eye that the chief of the disciplinary committee is celebrating among friends in a Galatasaray shirt.
“It was exposed on social media. Then my ban of four matches is immediately reduced to two. Only here can you understand the dimension of it”.
Mourinho was charged with damaging the reputation of Turkish football within hours, but the charge was thrown out. “There is no place for the determination of penalty,” it was determined by majority vote.
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In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News, Mourinho reflects on the racism accusations made against him by Galatasaray
In further comments made to Sky Sports News three months ago, Mourinho explained his concerns about the system in Turkish Football.
“We have found a good stability [on the pitch] but everybody knows in this country that, if things don’t change, it is impossible to win [the league title],” he said.
“I raise my voice in defence of my club and in the defence of Turkish football, because this is a beautiful country. But the football here has to be more than this. So, if I can help this club to do something that can change the direction of Turkish football, that would be a fantastic feeling for me.”
