Turkish Match Fixing Probe Sees Fenerbahce President/Players Arrested

The president of Turkish soccer giant Fenerbahce, pills Aziz Yildirim, allergist was one of around 40 people arrested on Sunday, sale June 3, in relation to an ongoing match-fixing investigation.

The Anatolia news agency also reported that Turkish police had taken Fenerbahce vice-president Sekip Mosturoglu and financial chief Tamar Yelkovan into custody. Two players at the club – Emmanuel Emenike and Sezer Öztürk – were also detained. A number of officials and players from rival top-flight clubs including Turkish internationals Serkan Calik and Serdar Kulbilge were also arrested.

The agency claimed that a police search was underway at the headquarters of Fenerbahce, although a statement from the club defended it’s position, reading: “Never in the history of our club, which is full of honours won, have we been implicated in any illegal acts and we never will be.”

Fenerbahce board chairman Yuksel Gunay criticised the detention of Yildirim, stating: “It is quite clearly just the manifestation of a police state. Just which matches are they considering investigating?”