The Turkish Super Lig has announced that it will bring in foreign Video Assistant Referees (VAR) for key matches for the remainder of the season to address concerns about potential bias.
This decision comes after Fenerbahce’s president accused an “underground network” within Turkey of influencing match outcomes through favouritism towards certain teams.
During the recent Super Cup clash between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, tensions escalated when Fenerbahce walked off the field due to their grievances regarding the match schedule.
As a result, they were handed a fine of approximately £98,450 and Galatasaray received a default 3-0 victory.
Prior to this incident, Fenerbahce had faced hostility from Trabzonspor supporters, leading them to consider withdrawing from the league altogether.
However, at a subsequent membership meeting, they decided to continue participating.
At present, Galatasaray maintain a slim two-point advantage over their Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce as the title race enters its final stages with only seven games left.
To promote fairness, the Turkish Football Federation has entered into agreements with European football associations to assign foreign VAR officials for critical upcoming matches featuring either team.
VAR personnel hailing from countries such as Italy, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Portugal are expected to participate in these pivotal encounters.