Turkish Football Federation chair Yıldırım Demirören resigns from office

ISTANBUL

Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President Yıldırım Demirören announced Feb. 28 his resignation from the post, citing the completion of Turkey’s only legal sports betting company İddaa’s acquisition by Demirören Holding chaired by him.

“I have decided to leave this national duty, which I carried out honorably and proudly until today in order to prevent any shadows and debates in Turkey’s public and the international arena,” Demirören said in a written statement.

He thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, sports ministers, TFF executives, national team coaches and players, club chairs and executives and all sports communities for their support in the last seven years.

The new president will be elected in June 2019.

Vice President Hüsnü Güreli would be in charge until the election, another TFF Vice President, Nihat Özdemir, told reporters after Demirören stepped down.

Demirören was elected as the TFF chair on Feb. 26 2012.

He chairs Demirören Holding, which controls major media outlets in Turkey, including Hürriyet, Milliyet, Hürriyet Daily News, and Posta newspapers as well as TV channels Kanal D and CNN Türk.

The top bid to operate İddaa on Feb. 13 was made by Şans Girişim, a venture including Demirören Holding and U.S. company Scientific Games.