Beşiktaş issues statement on foreign referee ahead of Galatasaray derby

The black-and-white club stated in its announcement that they had received reports that the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) would decide not to appoint a foreign referee for the derby, adding, 'If these allegations are true, the federation is clearly engaging in a double standard and undermining the fairness of football.'

The statement, which recalled that a foreign referee officiated the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derby, included the following views:

'It is unacceptable for the TFF, which felt the need to appoint a foreign referee for the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derby, to adopt a different stance for the Beşiktaş-Galatasaray match. If such a practice was implemented due to a lack of trust in referees, it must be valid for all critical matches. Otherwise, no one can claim that the decision is consistent with impartiality and justice.

While the issue of whether the derby referee will be foreign has occupied the football public for a long time, we make an open call to Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu and the board members, who have not expressed any opinion on the matter; if the foreign referee practice was truly implemented to ensure justice, the Beşiktaş-Galatasaray derby cannot be kept separate from this. We call on the federation and Central Referee Board (MHK) members who signed off on the foreign referee decision a month ago: do not sign off on injustice! We advise you to take into account the sensitivity of our community on this issue. Let no one fall into the error of underestimating the Beşiktaş community!'

News Source: AA