Turkish court suspends decision to ban Fenerbahçe fans from away match

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A Kayseri court has ordered a stay of execution of the Kayseri Provincial Security Board’s decision to ban Fenerbahçe football fans from a March 4 match against Kayserispor.

The court ruled the decision in question may cause irreparable damages in the event of its implementation and ordered a stay of execution until testimonies are given and the requirements of the interim decision are fulfilled.

The Kayseri Provincial Security Council on Feb. 28 ruled that Fenerbahçe fans will not be allowed to attend the Super Lig away match against Kayserispor planned for March 4.

The decision came after Fenerbahçe fans protested against the government and called for its resignation during a home match against Konyaspor on Feb. 25.  

Fenerbahçe said that the ban decision was “unilateral,” “unjust,” “irrational,” and “against the equality principle of sports, against sports’ unifying soul.”

“The steps taken in the path to the adoption of this decision is not just a damage done to our Club but to Turkish football,” the club said in its statement. “Give up on your unsensible decisions and moves that continuously marginalize and make Fenerbahçe a target.”

A similar call came from Beşiktaş fans in a Feb. 26 match, again with thousands of fans calling on the government to resign.

After these calls, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ally and far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli targeted the fans. Bahçeli described the protests as "irresponsible and unconscious" and demanded action from club administrations. He argued that “football clubs have been tricked and trapped" and also announced his resignation from his membership in Beşiktaş club.

Afterwards, Kayserispor released a statement, saying that it “stands by the state and nation to the end.” The club referred to Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş fans’ slogans as “dirty politics” and “zillet” (contempt in Turkish), which is a word frequently used by Erdoğan and Bahçeli for targeting the main opposition alliance “Millet İttifakı” (the Nation’s Alliance).

Kayserispor did not stop here and filed an application with the Kayseri Provincial Security Council to ban Fenerbahçe fans from attending the Super Lig match against itself planned for March 4. In return, the Kayseri Provincial Security Council approved the application and said in a ruling on Feb. 28 that only home team’s fans will be allowed.

Shortly afterwards, Fenerbahçe slammed the move and took it to the judiciary.

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