13.10.2026 19:00
Lale Cander, who resigned from her position on the TFF Board of Directors, targeted TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, saying, 'If a ballot were held again today, he could not get 30 votes. TFF is not a family company,' and commented, 'TFF is nobody's family company. Without institutionalism, merit, and independent law, reform in Turkish football cannot be achieved.'
Lale Cander, who resigned from her positions as vice president and board member of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), made harsh statements about TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu and the current management approach.
'TFF IS NOT A FAMILY COMPANY'
Referring to the names brought into the federation, Lale Cander said, 'We set out to make a great reform in Turkish football. However, over time, reforms were replaced by management by a narrow circle of relatives, internal reckonings and gossip. I objected to this. The TFF is not a family company. In a country of 85 million, it is not normal for kinship and close-circle relations to be talked about so much in the management of the football federation. In such a structure, questions of merit and independence are inevitable.'
'WE HAVE WASTED TURKISH FOOTBALL'S TIME'
Continuing her words, Lale Cander said, 'I think that with the punishment given to me, someone who objected within the management was intended to be rendered passive. The legal structure in which Vice President and also the president's personal lawyer Fuat Göktaş is influential, and how ethical and disciplinary mechanisms were used in this process, must be legally audited. Ahead of us were huge problems such as the refereeing system, the financial structure of clubs, youth infrastructure, amateur and women's football, combating betting, and independent legal boards. Instead of dealing with these, we dealt with people within our own ranks. With petty reckonings, we wasted Turkish football's time.'
'IF A BALLOT WERE HELD TODAY, HE COULD NOT GET 30 VOTES'
Claiming that if an election were held, Hacıosmanoğlu would not receive support, Cander said, 'If a ballot were held again today, the TFF President could not get 30 votes. It is debatable whether even the necessary support and signatures for candidacy could be collected. My issue is not a seat. I objected to the things I saw as wrong while staying inside. Now this no longer benefits Turkish football. Without institutionalization, merit and independent law, reform in Turkish football cannot be made.'