The effects of the "Referees file" investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office continue.
It was learned that former referee Süleyman Abay testified as a 'witness' in the investigation.
Suleyman Abay
SÜLEYMAN ABAY'S STATEMENT HAS BEEN REVEALED
Within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 9 suspects, including MHK President Ferhat Gündoğdu and Super League referee Yasin Kol, were detained in operations carried out in 4 provinces centered in Istanbul.
The statement of former referee Süleyman Abay regarding the investigation, given as a 'witness', was revealed.
CLAIM OF FERHAT GÜNDOĞDU AND İBRAHİM HACIOSMANOĞLU
In his statement, Süleyman Abay made remarkable remarks about TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu and the detained MHK President Ferhat Gündoğdu.
Ferhat Gündoğdu
Abay stated that Hacıosmanoğlu accused him of being a member of FETO during his term as Trabzonspor President.
Regarding the FETO accusation, Süleyman Abay said, "As a result of the investigation transferred to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated that no determination could be made and the prosecutor's office issued a decision of non-prosecution regarding this issue."
SÜLEYMAN ABAY POINTED TO AHMET ŞAHİN
Former referee Abay drew attention to Ahmet Şahin, who was in Ferhat Gündoğdu's team and later resigned.
In his statement, Abay said, "I think Ahmet Şahin is behind these events."
Süleyman Abay's statement is as follows:
"After the Trabzon-Konya match I officiated in 2015, during my time as a referee, İbrahim HACIOSMANOĞLU, who was the president of Trabzonspor at the time and is currently the president of TFF, accused the referees (consisting of approximately 20 referees and observers) who were serving at that time in 2016 of "Being a Member of the FETO Terrorist Organization, Threats, Blackmail and engaging in actions and behaviors that would cause outrage to the society, and filed a criminal complaint against us, upon which Istanbul An investigation was initiated by the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and later transferred to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. It was stated that no findings could be made as a result of the investigations and the prosecutor's office gave a decision of non-prosecution regarding this matter. Thereupon, we continued our duty actively."
"One morning on March 8, 2022, while the leagues were continuing, Ferhat GÜNDOĞDU, the MHK president at the time, announced the list of referees and observers. Meanwhile, the league was continuing, this is the first time this action has been taken. Changing the referee and observer list while the leagues are ongoing is against the instructions and procedures. I learned about this announced list from the press. I and the other referees and observers who worked with me were excluded from the list, so we applied to the TFF Arbitration Board. With the decision made after the Arbitration Board held with a hearing on 26.03.2022, it was determined that we were right and we were reinstated to our duties. Thereupon, Ferhat GÜNDOĞDU, the chairman of MHK, resigned from his post approximately 1-2 weeks later. Thereupon, I continued my refereeing with the new MHK president. After quitting refereeing due to the age limit, I became a referee observer and then a MHK member."
"At the beginning of the 2024-2025 season, my name was on the referee and observer list announced on 27.07.2024. After this list was announced, I attended the seminar. I completed the seminar successfully. Leagues have started. Later, a second new list was published on 28.08.2024, again contrary to the practices. My name was not on this list. My job was terminated. Thereupon, I applied to the Arbitration Board. The Arbitration Board rejected my application by majority vote, with 4 rejections and 3 approvals. I submit this decision as an annex to my statement to be added to the file. Currently, this file of mine is in the European Court of Human Rights. The case is still ongoing. The common feature of the referees and observers in this list is that they are the referees and observers who took part in the Trabzon matches during the Trabzonspor presidency of İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, who became the TFF president in 2015."
"In the background of the list announced on March 8, 2022, there is Ahmet ŞAHİN, who was a member of MHK at that time and is now in the Ferhat GÜNDOĞDU team again, but resigned and left in the middle of last season. He is one of the reasons why our name is not in the list made in 2022 and in the list made this season. Ahmet ŞAHİN is engaged in construction business. He is the owner of the company named AS İnşaat. Ahmet ŞAHİN is the equivalent of the word "YAPI", which has been mentioned recently in the football community. The relationships that will emerge as a result of examining (travel programs, where he went with him, etc.) will reveal this order. We did not have any personal hostility with Ferhat GÜNDOĞDU. I think he is not with me either. However, I think he acted in this way with the guidance of people. As I said, I think Ahmet ŞAHİN is also behind these things.
