Harsh Reaction from Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan to Referee Performances

Trabzonspor Club President Ertuğrul Doğan reacted harshly to the referee performances before the Gençlerbirliği match.

The statement made by the claret-blue club is as follows:

"Years pass in Turkish football; teams, management, staff and investments change. VAR is coming, technology is developing, new standards are being talked about in every field of football.

However, one thing does not change: Referee mistakes.

Although we are still at the beginning of the season, the fact that referee performances have once again become the most important agenda item in Turkish football clearly reveals how deep-rooted and serious the problem in the system is.

We cannot ignore the efforts made by Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu for the development of referees since the day he took office. While the TFF President's sensitivity on this issue is obvious, the fact that the current referee staff is still inadequate clearly shows the structural dimension of the problem.

The critical decisions made against our team in Kasımpaşa, Başakşehir and Amedspor matches since the first week of the season have now gone far beyond the limits that can be explained with the word "mistake".

It is not possible for us to accept a system where wrong decisions made on the field are not corrected by VAR, where VAR remains silent in positions that require intervention, and where even the basic rules of football are interpreted differently in different matches.

As Trabzonspor Club, we have very important goals we want to achieve this season. Our community puts forward a great struggle towards these goals.

We will not remain silent if this effort is overshadowed by unacceptable referee decisions.

We only want justice. For years!

Turkish football now needs referees who are trained at European standards, are physically and mentally competent, can make the right decisions under pressure, and are familiar with the rules of football.

Likewise, it is imperative that the people working in the VAR rooms consist of people who are competent not to interpret the positions, but to fully apply the rules and correct the obvious mistakes of the referee on the field when necessary.

Trabzonspor has no time to waste. Turkish football also has no patience left.

Before the Gençlerbirliği match we will play today, I state clearly:

We do not want to see a referee management that gets in the way of the players' fight on the field, affects the outcome of the match, and whose concentration and self-confidence are questionable.

Change your position! Do not stand against labor!"