Court upholds Fenerbahce chairman sentence over match-fixing
ISTANBUL Fri Jan 17, 2014 4:12pm GMT
Fenerbahce Chairman Aziz Yildirim speaks to the media at Sukru Saracoglu stadium in Istanbul June 27, 2013. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
(Reuters) - A top court in Turkey upheld a match-fixing sentence for Fenerbahce chairman Aziz Yildirim on Friday, in a decision that partially approved a local court ruling that had convicted 93 defendants in connection with the case two years ago, local media reported.
In 2012, Yildirim appealed against the ruling that sentenced him to six years and three months in prison for match-fixing in Turkey's top league and forming an unarmed crime gang for this purpose. Yildirim had served one year in prison pending trial.
The court's ruling will also prevent Yildirim from working for the club.
UEFA also banned Besiktas and Fenerbahce from European competitions for match-fixing.
Scores of individuals, including agents, former players and club managers were arrested in two waves of the probe, with Yildirim being the highest-profile figure.
Turkish sport has had to deal with several blows over the past few years, including doping scandals, match-fixing cases and losing the 2020 Olympics bid to Tokyo.
(Writing by Ece Toksabay, editing Ed Osmond)
