Jose Mourinho four-match ban halved as Galatasaray announce plan to take Turkish Federation to court over reduction
Published 01/03/2025 at 22:32 GMT
Jose Mourinho has seen his four-match ban and fine from the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) halved. Fenerbahce appealed the suspension after Galatasaray threatened legal action over remarks made by Mourinho after the goalless derby between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. Galatasaray have announced their intention to file a legal complaint against the TFF in response to the reduced suspension.
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Jose Mourinho's four-match suspension has been halved by the Turkish Football Federation after a review of the appeal lodged by his club Fenerbahce.
The manager had been handed a fine and four-match ban over comments he made about Turkish referees following a 0-0 draw with Super Lig rivals Galatasaray.
Galatasaray said Mourinho had made "racist statements", but the 62-year-old said his words were "completely taken out of context."
The TFF had imposed the penalties for "his derogatory and offensive statements towards the Turkish referee" and "accusations of chaos and disorder in Turkish football."
A fine of 1.6 million Turkish lira (£35,000) has been reduced to 558,500 (£12,200) and Mourinho will miss Sunday's match against Antalyaspor, having already sat out a Turkish Cup game against Gaziantep FK.
In response, Galatasaray announced that the club will file a legal complaint against the president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, and the members of the Appeal Board on charges of "abuse of power."
In a statement on the club's official website, Galatasaray said: "We are ashamed on our behalf of this unconscious attitude of our opponent who unquestioningly supports all the disrespect of Jose Mourinho who humiliates Turkish football, Turkish referees and Turkish people. Even these events clearly show which values they are ready to give up just to win.
"Our club will file a criminal complaint against the president of the TFF, who holds public power and has been engaging in arbitrary and unlawful practices since the day they took office, and the members of the Arbitration Board, whose very formation is unlawful, on the grounds of abuse of office.
"Galatasaray has been fighting for the championship by overturning the games played on it for the last few years with its football on the field and the power of its players, fans and community."
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Fenerbahce also confirmed that they have filed a lawsuit against Galatasaray "due to the attack on the personal rights" of Mourinho.
The club announced they launched the legal action "for moral damages" amounting to 1,907,000 Turkish Lira - which equates to roughly £41,650.
"We would like to announce to the public that a lawsuit for moral damages of 1,907,000 Turkish lira has been filed against Galatasaray Sports Club by Fenerbahce Sports Club lawyers due to the attack on the personal rights of our technical director Jose Mourinho," Fenerbahce said in a statement.
Mourinho's club released another statement regarding a referee who will feature in Galatasaray's league game against Kasımpasa, alleging that the official is a fan of the club.
"Is it possible for this referee, whose identity as a fan the Turkish football public learned by chance, to officiate tomorrow’s match impartially?" Fenerbahce said. "Is this situation fair?"
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