Turkish football club Fenerbahçe remains in Champions League in spite of several arrests and sentences regarding match-fixing, supporters of rival club Trabzonspor, are calling on UEFA to adhere to their own zero tolerance policy and relegate Fenerbahçe.
“It was like a very big earthquake with a very big impact”, said Turkish sports journalist Banu Yelkovan to BBC World football about the day in July 2011 when the story about widespread match-fixing stemming from Turkish football top club Fenerbahçe FC broke. “Our world changed, nothing was going to be like before.”
Fenerbahçe had had 17 wins and one loss in 18 matches when it broke that there had been an extensive system of match-fixing involved in the winning streak.
A large number of players, referees and officials were questioned in court and 61 were arrested.
Among the arrested was Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yildirim who was later sentenced to three years and nine months in jail for match-fixing and another two years and six months for forming an illegal cartel around the rigged matches.
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