Former Fenerbahçe President Aziz Yıldırım: I will not be a candidate in the elections.

03.09.2025 14:26

Former Fenerbahçe President Aziz Yıldırım announced that he will not be a candidate in the Fenerbahçe presidential elections. Yıldırım stated, "This congress is being held on behalf of the current management's desires with the resources of Fenerbahçe. I refuse to be a part of this process, which I do not approve of in terms of its existence and timing. If a congress is to be held, it should have taken place in June."

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Former Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım announced that he will not be a candidate in the presidential elections. Yıldırım said, "I am not in" before the presidential election to be held on September 21.

"I REFUSE TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS"

In his statement, Yıldırım mentioned that due to the speculation of his name in many scenarios during the election process that Fenerbahçe has entered, it has become necessary to make the following statement.

Both from my close circle and from within our community, I have been repeatedly urged and advised to be a candidate in the upcoming congress.

However, it should be remembered that I stated in the High Advisory Board meeting held on July 26, 2025, that "holding a congress in September would not be in the club's interest and it should be abandoned." At such a time, a congress held under the current conditions would be a congress held for the current management, not for Fenerbahçe. This decision is nothing more than an attempt to deceive the community with a childish trick.

However, today, the main issue of Fenerbahçe and even all Turkish sports clubs has gone beyond the skills and abilities of their managers and has become another and greater issue. The issue of management culture and managerial ethics is becoming the primary issue not only for Fenerbahçe but increasingly for all sports clubs. Facts such as expenditures, income and expense deficits, the elimination of competition, patronage and favoritism becoming the character of the league, going into debt far beyond the existing and future capabilities of the club, mortgaging or selling club assets, and the masking of financial realities by manipulating financial statements are all leading to a major fiasco that innocent people will ultimately pay for.

Being a club president is not a career step. Clubs cannot be made the object of presidents' desires to be "successful people." Management is not a game either. Those who cannot get enough of playing can play with toys bought with their father's money. The future and honor of million-member communities cannot be toyed with. This congress is being held on behalf of the current management's desires with the resources of Fenerbahçe. I refuse to be a part of this process, the existence and timing of which I do not approve. If a congress is to be held, it should have been held in June.

In the current situation, the benefit of the club lies in waiting calmly until the end of the season, and those who make decisions regarding the obligations the club will bear should not hide behind any excuses. I am more of a Fenerbahçeli than I am the president of Fenerbahçe. This situation saddens me, just like all sincere Fenerbahçelis.

However, the season has started, transfers have been made, and in a situation where technical director candidates have rejected Fenerbahçe by saying, "I do not accept the responsibility of the squad I did not build," being a candidate in a congress to be held under such circumstances means nothing more than factionalism for me.

On this occasion, what I want to say to the Fenerbahçe community is to strive together for the success of our team, to support the team for the championship we long for, and if there is an account to be seen, to leave it until the end of the season.

I kindly request the public not to speculate on my name in any way regarding this matter, and I wish success to our teams and athletes competing in all branches in the new season.