Arjun Menon
A Turkish court has sentenced Fenerbahce Chairman Sadettin Saran to two and a half years in prison for inciting illegal betting, with the verdict landing just days before the club was scheduled to hold a congress to elect his replacement.
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The ruling by an Istanbul court found that Sadettin Saran and his brother, Kenan Saran, were guilty of “inciting individuals to engage in illegal betting through advertising or various other means.” Both received sentences of two years and six months in jail. Sadettin Saran had denied any wrongdoing during his court defence, according to local media reports.
Earlier this year, Saran was briefly detained by authorities as part of a wide probe into drug use among Turkish celebrities, before being released. He subsequently announced his intention to step down, and Fenerbahce confirmed in March that an extraordinary congress would be held on June 6th to 7th to elect new leadership. Saran is not a candidate.
Turkish authorities have pursued extensive investigations into alleged match-fixing and illegal betting across the country’s professional football leagues. Dozens of referees were suspended by the Turkish Football Federation, and several commentators, officials, and players, including those from top-tier clubs, were detained or arrested as the probe widened.
Fenerbahce’s former chairman, Aziz Yildirim, has declared his candidacy to run the club. He will face businessman Hakan Safi in the election, as the Istanbul side looks to end a 13-year championship drought. Follow TipsGG for continued coverage of this story and all developments surrounding Fenerbahce.