New development in the Super Cup crisis: Rıdvan Dilmen shares the dialogue between Erdoğan and Büyükekşi

Despite reactions from the sports community, the Turkish Football Federation decided to hold the Super Cup final between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

During the match, which was scheduled to be played on the evening of December 29, Saudi authorities did not permit banners and t-shirts featuring Atatürk. Following this, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray decided not to take the field, while the TFF announced in the first hours of the crisis that the match would begin with the National Anthem.

However, the clubs did not back down from their stance. In the following hours, the TFF, Fenerbahçe, and Galatasaray issued a joint statement announcing that the match had been postponed to a later date.

Following this scandal in the Super Cup, the public reacted against TFF President Mehmet Büyükekşi. Whether Büyükekşi, who returned to Turkey from Riyadh yesterday (December 30), will resign has become a subject of curiosity.

RIDVAN DİLMEN ASKED BÜYÜKEKŞİ

Finally, former footballer and commentator Rıdvan Dilmen said that before the Super Cup final was played, he asked TFF President Büyükekşi why it was not being played in Turkey during the 100th anniversary. Dilmen, who also spoke with Erdoğan about the Super Cup match being played in Riyadh, explained that Erdoğan also asked Büyükekşi why they would play in Riyadh and what the clubs said about this decision, and that he gave his approval following Büyükekşi's answers.

Dilmen stated, "I said, 'Where did this idea of playing the match in Saudi Arabia come from? Moreover, you are being heavily criticized. Fan groups and the entire media want it to be played here. Did you discuss such a topic with our President?' He said, 'I asked the clubs. There is 4 million dollars in prize money; the winner will get this much, the loser will get that much.' Our TFF President conveys the offer to Ali Bey and Dursun Bey. They also accept it," he said.

"OUR FEDERATION PRESIDENT THREW A STONE AT A WINDOW; HE TOLD OUR TWO CLUBS 'YOU THROW ONE TOO'"

The Super Cup final, which was scheduled to be played in Saudi Arabia last night, was postponed due to the crisis experienced with Saudi authorities. Participating in the "Geçiş Oyunu" program broadcast on Habertürk Television, former footballer and commentator Rıdvan Dilmen said that the final should not have been played in Saudi Arabia on the 100th anniversary of the Republic.

According to Duvar, Dilmen said, "It is already unpleasant for this match to be played there. You play there in the 99th year, fine; you play in the 101st year, fine. Unfortunately, our federation president took a big stone in his hand and threw it at a window. He told our two valuable clubs, 'You throw one too.' Both of them threw one, and then they turned back," he said.

Sharing his information about the process, Dilmen said, "First, I want to start from the end. The return of our clubs is a behavior that shows how much the founder of our Republic, the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, is embraced; I congratulate them. But unfortunately, it was our clubs that led the process to this point. This match should have been played in Turkey. There are many stadiums in Turkey with good capacity that are Atatürk stadiums. Without looking at it economically, I think we are all in agreement that it should have been played here this year," he said.

Here are the highlights from Rıdvan Dilmen's statement:

"Let me convey to you what I heard about the contract. In total, the winning team was to be given 2 million 400 thousand dollars, and the losing team was to be given 1 million 600 thousand dollars. So, a total of 4 million dollars. If it is 4.5, the federation would take 500, I don't know that. But this is what the clubs were going to receive. A month ago, both of our clubs received the losing prize money, and the winner would receive 800 thousand dollars more. So our clubs received 1 million 600 thousand dollars a month ago, which I think is important. The information Ali Can Bey gave is important. I don't know about the compensation part."

"THEY WERE ALREADY GOING TO PLAY WITH THESE JERSEYS"

The initial agreement is as follows: they say Turkish flag, no problem, it is signed. They say National Anthem, of course, it is signed. But the Saudis say, 'Let's give 30 seconds for our anthem because it is here.' Our clubs object there, but the goal here is not to prevent the match from being played; they have their grievances. When we unfortunately had our martyrs last week, the federation officials say, 'We will hold a commemoration for our martyrs,' and they say okay and add that to the contract as well. They say both of our clubs will take the field with 100th-year jerseys. Galatasaray's jersey has Atatürk's signature, and Fenerbahçe has Atatürk on its chest. They say okay to this and sign it in October. There is no problem playing with this jersey. They were already going to play with these."

"THERE IS NO BARGAINING FOR ATATÜRK THERE"

Then, on Tuesday the 26th, Fenerbahçe applies. It says; one, 'We want to take the field with a banner saying 'Peace at Home, Peace in the World'.' Two; 'We will wear Atatürk t-shirts during warm-ups,' and it will say 'Peace at Home, Peace in the World' on the back. Galatasaray rightly says, 'Let us do it too.' And they immediately have a banner printed in Riyadh saying 'How happy is the one who says I am a Turk.' This crisis starts 3 days before the match. It seemed interesting to me that the Saudis, who had accepted so many things, did not accept this. Why didn't they accept it? You have already accepted so many things. You have to anyway. There is no bargaining for Atatürk there. Let us underline that playing with these jerseys was permitted."

"AFTER THE 26TH, THE SAUDIS SAY NO"

Where is the problem? We commemorated the martyrs, our flag is fine, the Saudis' 30-second thing is also fine. Let's come to the developments after the 26th. If I were in their place, if I were the one who didn't accept that banner, and if you were in their place, you would turn back too. No one expects them to play either. However, I wish our clubs had put these clauses in much earlier. After the 26th, the Saudis say no. Our clubs and the federation spent an unfair amount of time. I would not want this match to be played not only in Saudi Arabia but even in the heart of London. Play wherever you want next year."

"I THINK GAZA IS A FACTOR"

(Upon the question, "Do you think they understood the 'Peace at Home, Peace in the World' message as being about Israel? Is the issue here Turkey or Israel?") We are the ones who show the most reaction regarding Gaza. Therefore, I think Gaza is a factor. Our clubs did what was worthy of them there.

ERDOĞAN ALSO ASKED BÜYÜKEKŞİ

I called Mehmet Büyükekşi a few months ago. I said, 'Where did this idea of playing the match in Saudi Arabia come from when it could be played here? Moreover, you are being heavily criticized. Fan groups and the entire media want it to be played here. Did you discuss such a topic with our President?' He said, 'I asked the clubs. There is 4 million dollars in prize money; the winner will get this much, the loser will get that much.' Our TFF President conveys the offer to Ali Bey and Dursun Bey. They also accept it.

Then, may he forgive me, one day I said to our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, it is like this and like that. 'Well, I also asked Büyükekşi why they would play there,' he said. Büyükekşi says, 'We will earn money for the two clubs.' Well, 'What did the clubs say?' he asks. When he says, 'The clubs also accepted,' he says, 'Then it's fine.'"

News Source: 12punto