28.08.2024 20:10
The Turkish Football Federation Arbitration Board reduced the penalties given regarding the Göztepe-Fenerbahçe match, in which Ali Koç was attacked, played in the 2nd week of the Trendyol Super League. The board reduced the punishment of Göztepe playing 2 matches without spectators to 1 match.
The Disciplinary Board of the Turkish Football Federation has decided that Göztepe will play 1 official match without spectators in their home stadium due to the "incidents caused by their fans and members" during the Göztepe-Fenerbahçe match in the 2nd week of the Trendyol Super League. Additionally, the board has upheld the 90,000 TL fine imposed on Göztepe for not leaving the stairwells empty.
STATEMENT FROM THE DISCIPLINARY BOARD
The statement from the Disciplinary Board regarding the matter is as follows;
"The extraordinary appeal made by Göztepe Sport Investments Inc. against the decision of the Professional Football Discipline Committee dated 22.08.2024 and numbered E.2024-2025/17 - K.2024-2025/24 has been examined. As a result of the deliberation;
The decision of the Professional Football Discipline Committee to punish Göztepe Sport Investments Inc. with a 2-match stadium ban for the incidents caused by their fans and members, in accordance with Article 52/2 of the Football Disciplinary Regulations, has been revoked. Instead, Göztepe Sport Investments Inc. has been punished with a 1-match ban without spectators in their home stadium for the incidents caused by their fans and members, in accordance with Article 52/2 of the Football Disciplinary Regulations, by majority vote,
Göztepe Sport Investments Inc. has been punished with a Warning Penalty in accordance with Article 53/2 of the Football Disciplinary Regulations for the offensive and inappropriate behavior of their fans, and the electronic tickets of the spectators in blocks 213, 214 of the East Stand, 224 of the West Stand, 207 of the North Stand, 219 of the South Stand, and 225 of the West VIP Stand have been blocked, preventing their entry to the next home match, in accordance with Article 53/3 of the Football Disciplinary Regulations, and it has been determined that there is no error in terms of evidence, legal qualification, and determination of the punishment, therefore the appeal has been rejected and the decision has been upheld, unanimously,
Göztepe Sport Investments Inc. has been punished with a fine of 90,000.00 TL in accordance with Article 49/3 of the Football Disciplinary Regulations for not leaving the stairwells empty, and it has been determined that there is no error in terms of evidence, legal qualification, and determination of the punishment, therefore the appeal has been rejected and the decision has been upheld, unanimously."
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE GÖZTEPE-FENERBAHÇE MATCH
In the 2nd week of the Super League, the Göztepe-Fenerbahçe match was marked by the throwing and dropping of foreign objects at Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç. The match, which Fenerbahçe led 2-0 in the first half, descended into chaos in the early minutes of the second half. Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç went to the away stand to support the yellow-navy fans who couldn't enter the stadium. As he left the stand under security measures and headed towards the tunnel, bottles and foreign objects were thrown at him from the stands. Ali Koç fell to the ground after being hit by a bottle and pushed by officials, and then a scuffle broke out between the home club officials and Ali Koç and his bodyguards. Referee Kadir Sağlam stopped the game during this time, and the match resumed after President Koç left the field.
HOUSE ARREST SENTENCE
Fatih Özkan, who testified in court, defended himself by saying, "I tried to get Ali Koç out of the field. The ground was wet, I couldn't control my speed, and I accidentally pushed him hard. I didn't intend to harm him." However, this defense did not prevent Özkan from receiving a sentence in the legal process. The court sentenced Özkan to house arrest.
APOLOGY FROM ALI KOÇ AND FENERBAHÇE
Fatih Özkan, who attacked Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç during the halftime of the Göztepe-Fenerbahçe match in the Trendyol Super League, apologized to the yellow-navy community and Ali Koç. In a statement on his social media account, Özkan apologized to the yellow-navy community and Ali Koç, saying, "I would like it to be known that I am deeply saddened by this incident that occurred during the match between our two esteemed clubs on 17/08/24 and continues to occupy the public. I kindly request that the public not be further occupied with this incident; and I apologize to the Göztepe Sports Club, of which I am a member, the honorary president of the club Mehmet Sepil, Fenerbahçe Sports Club President Ali Y. Koç, and the entire Fenerbahçe community, in order to prevent the fans of both esteemed clubs from being tarnished".