Mourinho takes Turkish football authorities to European court

ISTANBUL

Former Fenerbahçe head coach José Mourinho has filed a formal complaint against the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, escalating a dispute over disciplinary sanctions imposed during his tenure in the Turkish Süper Lig.

According to case details, the Portuguese manager has challenged a series of penalties issued to him in relation to incidents following a match against Trabzonspor in November 2024. Among the sanctions upheld by the Turkish football authorities were a touchline and locker-room ban, alongside fines amounting to several hundred thousand Turkish Liras.

After the TFF’s Arbitration Board confirmed the original disciplinary measures, Mourinho’s legal team moved the case to Strasbourg, arguing that the governing structures of Turkish football lack sufficient institutional independence. He further claims that his freedom of expression was violated in connection with his post-match remarks, and that he was denied due process, including proper notification of the reasoning behind the final disciplinary decision.

The ECHR has reportedly accepted the application for preliminary review and has formally requested the Turkish state to submit its observations. Ankara now has up to six months to respond as part of the admissibility and merits assessment process.

Mourinho’s spell at Fenerbahçe, which began in 2024, lasted 62 matches, during which he recorded a 2.02 points-per-game average before leaving the club in August of the following year.

He is currently in charge of Benfica, while his name continues to circulate in European football circles, including reported links to Real Madrid. Spanish club president Florentino Pérez has recently appeared in a campaign video in which Mourinho was also featured, though the Portuguese coach has stated that the clip was generated using AI, distancing himself from its content.