Fenerbahce president Aziz Yıldırım convicted but released in Turkey’s biggest match-fixing scandal trial / Breaking News
Fenerbahce President Aziz Yıldırım the main suspect in the Turkey’s biggest match fixing scandal trial was released from jail despite being convicted after a one year-long imprisonment and a 4,5 months-long trial into match-fixing investigation. Breaking News
Istanbul / NationalTurk – Fenerbahçe football club chairman Aziz Yıldırım and other remaining high-profile suspects such as Trabzonport President Sadri Şener and Beşiktaş former vice-president Serdal Adalı said their final words in the Istanbul courtroom today and the highly anticipated court decisions came shortly after.
Fenerbahce chairman Aziz Yıldırım responded with a Fenerbahçe motto when asked what his final words were. ‘ I trust the Turkish judges and prosecutors. Even standing at the gallows, our final word will be ‘Fenerbahce.’ I want my acquittal,’ he stated. Meanwhile some Fenerbahce fans spent the night in front of the courthouse in Istanbul’s Cağlayan neighborhood in a show of solidarity with their president Aziz Yıldırım.
The judge read then the Match fixing case verdict. Here is the verdict of Turkey Match Fixing scandal:
– Olgun Peker sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison for establishing and managing criminal organization.
– Aziz Yildirim sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison for establishing a criminal organization, and 3 years and 9 months in prison on charges of match-fixing and was fined 1 Million Turkish Liras. He was acquitted from charges he faced prior to a legislation change on Turkish law No. 6222. Aziz Yildirim was found guilty of match-fixing and incentive paying in following Turkish League matches : Fenerbahce-Karabük, Fenerbahçe-Ankaragücü, Fenerbahce-Sivas, Trabzon, Eskişehir, Fenerbahçe-IBB.
In addition Aziz Yıldırım’s request for acquittal has been accepted. Yıldırım can be sent back to prison for 3 years and 2 months, if the release decision will be rejected by the Supreme Court and if the Supreme Court approves his sentences.
The Istanbul court released Yildirim and three other suspects considering the time they spent in prison over the past year.
Yıldırım will also be banned from club managing if Supreme court approves the verdict and his conviction.
The landmark match fixing case, which became public after the first wave of arrests and detentions took place on July 3, 2011, was the first time high profile Turkish teams and officials were involved in match fixing and game manipulation allegations.
Turkey’s match fixing scandal trial ended, Supreme court will have the final word
A total number of 93 footballers, team managers and club executives were listed as suspects in the Turkey match-fixing indictment. The Istanbul prosecutor was demanding prison time for 21 people.
Fenerbahce Chairman Aziz Yıldırım, who is arguably one of the most influental figure in Turkish football, is the highest profile name in the case and has been jailed pending trial and charges since early July.
Other important names accused in the Turkish match fixing trial are also released. Fellow Fenerbahçe official İlhan Ekşioğlu, former Giresunspor chairman and alleged mob leader Olgun Peker and player agent Yusuf Turanlı have been the remaining four people whose imprisonments continued pending charges.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) led its own probe on the match fixing scandal, and decided that there were efforts to manipulate some games in the Turkish league, but they were not reflected on the pitch.
The TFF cleared all 16 Turkish clubs, including Fenerbahçe, Besiktas and Trabzonspor of involvement in the Turkish match-fixing scandal, but it has banned players and club executives for manipulating and attempting to fixing the games.
Former Istanbul BB player İbrahim Akın got the biggest ban, with being suspended from football for two years for manipulating a Fenerbahçe-Istanbul BB match. He was also found guilty and sentenced to 1 year and 6 months prison.
NationalTurk will continue to provide information on this story’s development with frequent updates.
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Of course there is not just one single legal proof of match-fixing. Police officers coughed the money traffic with pictures, they recorded everything which looks like enough for the court as it is in the Media in Turkey. Actually, just these tape recordings are enough to proof the scandal, and that’s why Fenerbahce’s fans and supporters started to talk about” well they are obtained illegally” which does not make any sence, because the permission was obtained to watch those guys… On the other hand, confessions are another thing that the football players did such as Korcan and Ibrahim Akin. They admitted everything in front of prosecutor after warning about talking and their consequences. They said that they got the money, or anytginh else such as a car. But somehow, they changed their words later…
Just single legal proof? Come on. Aziz Yildirim, the chairperson of Fenerbahce, did not even defense himself against these tapes. Because there is nothing to change these words, or lying, or meaning them to something else. Mr. Yildirim chose to blame other teams instead of defending himself. Because the tapes were very obvious, and clear. But now, lawyers of Fenerbahce started to say “ well, we object that the tapes were obtained illegally”. Because nobody can say that “there is no match-fixing after listening those” That’s very clear. But I understand Fenerbahce’s lawyers and supporters. Because nothing left to defend Fenerbahce other than saying” tapes are illegal”…
JUSTICE FOR ALL
There is not one single legal proof of match fixing, since the tape recordings are obtained illegally by prosecutor. Moreover, the illegal tape recordings even don’t include any objective evidence of match fixing. They include some subjective information which may or may not be regarded as match fixing, however it is a scandal that a legal court can sentence such a veredict (if it were a sports arbitration court, noone would have complained). Even the judge reportedly said “we hope not to have commited an error in this judgement, should this be the case there is always a higher court to appeal”.
Fenerbahce’s officials including chairman got caught during match-fixing with a lot of evidences in tapes. Therefore, it is a fanatic approach to address the case and the court on something else. Nobody believes that in Turkey except the people who do not want to believe these facts, and try to get away with these facts…
Very ironic…
An influent Turkish muslim scholar is believed to be behind this veridict. Many think that this case has been a politically-motivated judgement.
UEFA should confiscate the situation. Turkish Football Federation did not do anything against Fenerbahce. And now, by court, it is proved that Fenerbahce’s officials including the chairman, did match fixing in 5 games. Immediately, UEFA should do something, and give the championship to Trabzonspor who placed 2nd.
It is believed and written in the internet media that Turkish Football Federation will not take the championship cup from Fenerbahce, and will not give it to the real owner, Trabzonspor. Please UEFA, do something…