Turkey boss Abdullah Avci implicated in match-fixing scandal

Turkey's Abdullah Avci implicated, but not charged, in match-fixing scandal - report

Dec 9, 2011 5:35:00 PM

The national team coach came under suspicion because of his involvement in last season's Turkish Cup final between former club Istanbul BB and Besiktas

Abdullah Avci was reportedly implicated in the match-fixing scandal which has rocked Turkish football, but will not face punishment after no evidence was found to support the claim.

The recently-appointed national team boss came under suspicion because of his involvement in last season’s Turkish Cup final between Besiktas and Istanbul BB, one of the game’s under investigation.

Avci was in charge of Istanbul at the time but he resigned to take charge of Turkey last month.

According to SPORTiVi, it has not yet been established if the Turkish Football Federation was informed that Avci had been implicated during the investigation into the match-fixing before his appointment to the national team.

In addition, it is claimed that Avci, despite being implicated in the scandal, will not face any criminal charges because there is no evidence of any wrongdoing on his part.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the man at the centre of the scandal, Fenerbahce chairman Aziz Yildirim received €345,000 in relation to a transfer that never took place.

Yildirim is one of 93 officials and players who was indicted on charges of fraud on Friday and, according to Today's Zaman, in evidence submitted to an Istanbul court it was alleged that he collected the sum in relation to a deal for Gokdeniz Karadeniz, who was never on the club’s books.

The transaction went through an agency called Refleks Menajerlik, which is owned by Olgun Peker, who is closely linked with known mafia boss Sedat Peker.

Yildirim also stands accused of trying to influence the outcome of last season’s Super League clash between Genclerbirligi and Trabzonspor.

Eight clubs, including the aforementioned Besiktas and Trabzonspor, and 14 players have been named in the indictment.

Fenerbahce were stripped of their place in the Champions League before the tournament began.

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