Saturday, March 1, 2025 - Fenerbahce head coach, Jose Mourinho has been handed a four-match ban and a fine of over £35,000 for comments made towards the refereeing team in a feisty derby clash against Galatasaray.
Mourinho made comments to reporters after the incendiary
derby between the two teams earlier this week about the Galatasaray bench
'jumping like monkeys'.
Mourinho commented that the match was better because it was not
officiated by a Turkish referee.
Further to Galatasaray's accusations, which included making official
complaints to UEFA and FIFA, Fenerbahce revealed that they are set to launch
legal action over the 'defamatory' statements.
But now Mourinho's punishment has been announced by the Turkish
Football Federation, with the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan boss set
for a lengthy touchline ban.
Mourinho was punished for two separate charges, with the first
pertaining to his discussions after the match with the officiating team.
The statement from the federation detailed how Mourinho had 'come to the
match referee and used statements towards the referee of the match.
'Immediately afterwards, he directed his derogatory and offensive
statements towards the Turkish referee, the 4th referee of the match, towards
him and accused Turkish football of chaos and disorder with insulting and
offensive statements towards both the Turkish football community and all
Turkish referees, and his actions and statements that insulted the brand value
of football activities in Turkey.'
These charges saw Mourinho handed a two-match ban from entering the
dressing room and the touchline, as well as a fine of £2,542 (117,000 Turkish
lira).
Referring to the press conference comments, the statement read: 'In the
same competition, (Mourinho's) statements made at the press conference after
the match and which are the subject of the referral were referred to our Board
within the scope of Article 41 of the FDT.
'Considering the nature of the statements, it was determined that the
statements used towards the members of the opposing team, were not mandatory,
were contrary to the ethics of sports and the concept of fair play, contained
expressions that could encourage violence and disorder in sports, were divisive
and separatist in society and could cause fan incidents, and it was deemed an
act against sportsmanship.'
For the statement, Mourinho was handed another two-match ban, and a much
more significant fine of £32,602 (1,500,000 Turkish lira).
The tie saw a raft of other sanctions handed out, including fines for
members of Mourinho's coaching staff, and a one-match ban and fine for
Galatasaray's manager Okan Buruk, who referred to Mourinho as 'the crying one'
and lambasted the referee at full-time.
Galatasaray will play their next home match without a section of fans
due to 'bad and ugly chanting', while Fenerbahce will be punished two matches
without away support due to the severity of fan incidents on the
pitch.
Galatasaray were also punished for their initial post on social media
which called out the Portuguese manager's 'derogatory statements towards the
Turkish people' and sought to bring criminal action against him for his 'racial
discrimination'.
The Istanbul club were handed a £65,000 (3,000,000 Turkish lira) fine,
and club president Dursun Ozbek was penalised with a 34-day denial of
rights.
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