Sharp reaction from Beşiktaş to Galatasaray: 'The field is not empty!'

Beşiktaş Vice President Onur Göçmez being reported to the public prosecutor by Galatasaray Sports Club has prompted a statement from Beşiktaş JK.

In the club's statement, reference was made to the 1-match suspension given to Galatasaray player Mauro Icardi by the PFDK, stating, "In the past, our athletes have received penalties from the TFF for similar reasons. In the face of these penalties, we, as Beşiktaş JK, have clearly demonstrated our stance and our sensitivity toward protecting the beautiful game by imposing our own sanctions."

The statement further added, "While this is the case, they have tried to manipulate even an immoral act that occurred over the last week in line with their own interests, and as a result of this pressure, they got what they wanted. On the other hand, reporting our Vice President to the prosecutor's office for his criticisms regarding the use of the VAR system, by putting on the 'TFF and MHK shirt' for a reason that carries no good intentions, is a clear and distinct definition of their inconsistency."

Beşiktaş's statement continued as follows:

"We felt the need to make a statement regarding the baseless, distortion-oriented criminal complaint filed by Galatasaray SK against our Vice President, Mr. Onur Göçmez, which clearly intends to harm both our club and our Vice President, and was constructed in an amateurish manner.

Galatasaray SK Management, which is accustomed to managing and directing Turkish football in line with whatever its own interests may be and building grievances through the perceptions it creates, has added a new one to its methods that have remained unchanged for years, and has reported the Beşiktaş JK Vice President to the prosecutor's office as a suspect.

Mr. Onur Göçmez made criticisms regarding the TFF, MHK, and the VAR system, and ended his statement by wishing Galatasaray SK success. While the authority to decide on the matter of penalties due to Mr. Onur Göçmez's position is the TFF, reporting him to the prosecutor's office as a suspect in his capacity as Beşiktaş JK Vice President is pure incompetence, amateurism, and malice.

It is an unnecessary occupation of the supreme Turkish judiciary.

Those who never abandon their habits of constantly changing direction and creating artificial public opinion in line with their own interests did not even see any harm in calling for the resignation of the Football Federation President—whom they defended with appetite and enthusiasm just yesterday—at a point where the league race is heating up and just before the derby match to be played this weekend, solely for the purpose of creating perception and exerting pressure.

Beşiktaş JK's stance against injustices has been the same from the beginning. It has not bent or twisted according to interests. Its stance against injustices, the language it uses, and its methods are clear enough not to cast a shadow on its greatness.

In the past, our athletes have received penalties from the TFF for similar reasons. In the face of these penalties, we, as Beşiktaş JK, have clearly demonstrated our stance and our sensitivity toward protecting the beautiful game by imposing our own sanctions. While this is the case, they have tried to manipulate even an immoral act that occurred over the last week in line with their own interests, and as a result of this pressure, they got what they wanted. On the other hand, reporting our Vice President to the prosecutor's office for his criticisms regarding the use of the VAR system, by putting on the 'TFF and MHK shirt' for a reason that carries no good intentions, is a clear and distinct definition of their inconsistency.

This behavior, which sees everything as permissible to win, has not surprised us.

It should be known that the field is not empty. Let this mentality, which thinks the field is empty, never forget that we will defend Beşiktaş JK and its rights to the end. As Beşiktaş JK, we will win on the field and lose on the field. Our reaction to any kind of intervention outside the field will be harsh.

We play with our honor and win with our rights!"