Fenerbahce boss among 30 held in Turkey match-fix probe

Posted Monday, July 04, 2011 by BBC.com

Fenerbahce boss among 30 held in Turkey match-fix probe
Fenerbahce won its 18th Turkish league title in May

The president of leading Turkish football club Fenerbahce is one of about 30 people arrested in a match-fixing inquiry, Turkish media says.

Aziz Yildirim was held on Sunday along with his vice-president and an official from Eskisehirspor, state media said.

The vice-president of Trabzonspor, Nevzat Sakar, denied earlier reports that he had also been held.

Several footballers were also arrested, including at least two Turkish internationals.

Police are searching Fenerbahce's headquarters.

League matches

State-run Anatolia news agency named some of those arrested along with Mr Yildirim, including Fenerbahce Vice-President Sekip Mosturoglu and the technical director of Eskisehirspor, Umit Karan.

Two of the footballers it named were Genclerbirligi striker Serkan Calik and Ankaragucu goalkeeper Serdar Kulbilge.

The agency said that raids had taken place simultaneously in 12 cities.

Istanbul-based Fenerbahce are the reigning Turkish league champions.

Broadcaster NTV said police were investigating alleged match-fixing in last season's league competition.

The Associated Press quoted Dogan news agency as saying the final league game of the season - a 4-3 victory by Fenerbahce over Sivasspor - was one of the matches under investigation.

A number of arrests into match-fixing were made last year but these are by far the highest-profile arrests, AFP news agency reports.

No comment has yet been made on Fenerbahce's website.