February 11 – Just 24 hours after his team walked off the pitch in protest during their Turkish Süper Lig clash against Galatasaray, Adana Demirspor chairman Bedirhan Durak has announced his resignation.
Adana Demirspor players, on the instructions of their management team, remarkably quit after 30 minutes at the weekend and the game was later abandoned.
“I now sadly see that we have reached a deadlock. For the sake of my club, my family, my loved ones, and my health, I hereby announce my resignation from the presidency,” Durak said in a statement.
The decision by the league’s bottom team to walk off was taken to protest against Turkey’s referees committee and football federation. Adana Demirspor were losing to a 12th-minute spot kick by Galatasaray’s Alvaro Morata, awarded after what the visitors claimed was clear simulation by Dries Mertens.
Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk admitted the penalty could have been an incorrect decision.
“This is not the first mistake made against Adana Demirspor. This is a great harm done to Turkish football,” he admitted. “I am saddened for Turkish soccer. There is always an effort to make Turkish soccer look bad to the outside world.”
Hours after the incident in Istanbul, however, Galatasaray used their X profile to announce that no one could stop them on their way to winning their 25th title: “Together with our millions of fans, we will break down all obstacles and reach our 25th championship!”
But amid the latest furore to hit Turkish club football, Galatarsary’s fierce rivals Fenerbahçe have accused them of corruption.
“Continue to mislead referees and football fans with your football players who have been making deceptive moves for years,” Fenerbahçe posted on social media.
“With your irregular contracts, black market tickets and illegal betting advertisements, you are harming our State and the Turkish Football Federation.”
Contact the writer of this story, Andrew Warshaw at moc.l1739287139labto1739287139ofdlr1739287139owedi1739287139sni@w1739287139ahsra1739287139w.wer1739287139dna1739287139