Turkish champion Fenerbahçe will not be playing in the top European competition, Turkish football federation announced Wednesday.
In a statement released from the website of the national football’s governing body, it was said that Fenerbahçe will not represent the country in the Champions League.
The federation said it was a request from UEFA, the continental football’s governing body.
“In a report sent to the Turkish Football Federation on Aug. 23, 2011, the UEFA has said Fenerbahçe should be withdrawn from the Champions League and it should be excluded if the club does not make this decision,” the statement read. “If one of those ways are not chosen, UEFA would start its own disciplinary investigation and would start sanctions against the Turkish Football Federation, which means our country.”
The decision meant the Turkish champion will not take its place among the European elite as the UEFA Champions League group stage draws are made in Geneva, Switzerland on Thursday.
UEFA has previously promised that any club found guilty of corrupted matches will be kicked out of its marquee competition and have its results wiped from the record.
‘’UEFA is working very hard behind the scenes to ride the game of these threats,’’ Secretary-General Gianni Infantino said at the playoffs draw earlier this month. ‘’We will not hesitate to prosecute any individual, any official or any club.’’
Chairman Aziz Yıldırım is in jail pending trial, along with four other club board members, on allegations of match fixing.
August 24, 2011
SOURCE: Hürriyet Daily News
