A new legal chapter has been added to the ongoing controversies surrounding referees in Turkish football. According to reports by Ersin Düzen from NOW Spor, seven referees have filed a criminal complaint with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu and Ferhat Gündoğdu, who resigned from his position at the Central Referee Board.
The referees who filed the complaint were identified as Süleyman Abay, Cevdet Kömürcüoğlu, Kutluhan Bilgiç, Bahattin Şimşek, Emre Altun, Mustafa Sönmez, and Taner Gizlenci.
The report stated that four main points stand out in the criminal complaint. Accordingly, the referees have requested legal action based on allegations of slander, abuse of office, unlawful dismissal actions, and baseless accusations of affiliation with a terrorist organization.
The filing of the complaint following recent controversies within the referee community and football management circles has drawn attention. It remains to be seen how the prosecutor's office will evaluate the process.
News Source: 12punto
