A black day for Turkish football (Video)

Even as Turkey hosts a colourful and highly competitive FIFA Under 20 World Cup, there are dark clouds hanging menacingly over Turkish football.

Despite their second place finish in the Turkish Super Lig, Fenerbahce have been given a red card out of Europe for the next two seasons as part of a three-season ban. This is the punishment UEFA has meted out against one of Turkey’s oldest and more successful football clubs because of match-fixing accusations. I find the prospect sad, not just because Dirk Kuyt’s determined, blond haired figure will be missing from Europe’s premier club competition, but also because this is the second time the club is suffering this unsavoury fate.

The 2011 Turkish Sports Corruption scandal implicated Fenerbahce among other clubs in football and basketball. UEFA took out the big stick and made an example out of Fener, banning the Istanbul club from Europe’s elite competition for the 2011-2012 season. It’s zero-tolerance on match-fixing message had to be heard loud and clear, despite vociferous and violent fan protests.

In the same sentence, UEFA’s disciplinary arm issued Besiktas, who finished a place behind their Istanbul rivals, a season-long ban from the Europa League they had striven to participate in. This now leaves Galatasaray to carry the Turkish torch in Europe.

Let us relive some of Fener’s great Champions League moments as they look forward to a season with no European distractions.