An Istanbul criminal court released seven of 23 suspects in Turkey’s
ongoing match-fixing case this afternoon, according to daily
Hürriyet.
Fenerbahçe Vice Chairman, Şekip Mosturoğlu; Fenerbahçe
team coordinator Cemil Turan; former Eskişehirspor coach
Bülent Uygun; Sivasspor Chairman Mecnun Odyakmaz; Giresunspor
Vice Chairman, Coşkun Çalık; Giresunspor Chairman Ömer Ülkü; and Giresunspor
physical therapist Mehmet Yenice were all released.
Sixteen suspects,
however, have still not been released, including Fenerbahçe Chairman Aziz
Yildirim, whose continued incarceration resulted in a fan protest in front of
the courthouse, leading to police allegedly intervening with pepper
spray, batons, and water cannon.
The trial began when prosecutors
alleged that there were deep-rooted ties between Turkish football teams and
the mafia, as well as attempts to manipulate last season’s football
championship.
