TFF to file lawsuit against Ali Palabıyık

The Turkish Football Federation has taken action following the allegations made by former referee Ali Palabıyık.

It has been learned that TFF President Mehmet Büyükekşi will file a lawsuit for material and moral damages against former referee Ali Palabıyık, who has recently come to the fore with his statements regarding TFF President Mehmet Büyükekşi and referees.

"ALL THE ALLEGATIONS ARE LIES"

In a statement to Murat Özbostan from the Sabah newspaper, President Büyükekşi said, "Yes, our legal team has completed the necessary work... All the allegations are lies. We will file the most severe lawsuit for material and moral damages against a person who offends our refereeing institution. In general, our referees have also been very uncomfortable with these statements."

Former referee Ali Palabıyık had previously made the following statements regarding TFF President Mehmet Büyükekşi's influence on referee appointments:

"The final decision at the TFF is always made by the president. The Central Referee Committee (MHK) makes the appointments and takes them to the TFF. The referees are announced to the press with the TFF's signature. I have never seen or heard of a name who previously served as president at the TFF being this involved in appointments. The final say in referee appointments always belongs to Mehmet Büyükekşi. The appointments are made and placed on Mehmet Büyükekşi's desk. Mehmet Büyükekşi changes the referee he wants and assigns the referee he wants to the match."