Turkish Court Sentences Fenerbahçe President to Prison

Rabat – The President of the Turkish Club Fenerbahçe, Saadettin Saran, was sentenced to two and half years in prison over  charges of illegal betting.

A court in Istanbul sentenced Fenerbahçe president Sadettin Saran and his brother, Kenan Saran, to two and a half years in prison, where his brother did not attend the hearing, which caused them to be fined $12,000 USD.

The Turkish Football Federation’s legal team pushed for a conviction, while the defense argued for an acquittal.

Following the verdict, Saran’s lawyer, Serdar Yigit, issued a statement “We welcome the decision to acquit the executives of the Saran Group,” he said. “However, the ruling against Mr. Sadettin Saran and Mr. Kenan Saran is not final, and we will appeal the decision to higher courts.”

“We inform the public that the appeal process will be initiated, we will follow the legal proceedings until the very end —  justice will prevail following the final assessment and that all of our clients will be acquitted,” he added.

The ruling comes at a critical moment for the Turkish giant, just days before the club’s elective general assembly this weekend.