Fenerbahçe’s extraordinary general assembly was held at Şükrü Saracoğlu Sports Complex on Tuesday, where club President Ali Koç surprised attendees with interesting announcements about the club’s future.
With the club’s Süper Lig future in jeopardy, Koç rejected the possibility of Fenerbahçe withdrawing from the Turkish top tier, a decision prompted by the recent altercation with Trabzonspor fans.
Koç stated that they have no intention of halting football activities, but they might either not participate in the Super Cup match or play with the U19 team.
He mentioned that withdrawing from the league is the least favored option, for now at least.
Ali Koç outlined various options for Fenerbahçe’s future in the league, ranging from withdrawing entirely to continuing with the youth team.
He emphasized the need to carefully consider their next steps and not be mere bystanders in the league.
The discussions included input from various stakeholders, and Koç highlighted the importance of making a decision that aligns with the club’s values and long-term goals.
He emphasized two key reasons behind the club’s choice not to withdraw from the Süper Lig: the necessity of being ready for such a decision and the need to have a plan in place to continue activities in a different field if required.
Koç explained that suspending activities would mean starting from the amateur league, but he expressed confidence in overcoming this challenge.
He also discussed the alternative method of withdrawing from the league by not playing two matches in a row.
Koç mentioned their discussion with UEFA regarding this approach and the uncertainty surrounding potential participation in Europe next year.
He noted the risk of severe penalties from UEFA and the potential bans for club managers under Sports Law No. 7405.
Koç outlined the potential revenue scenarios for Fenerbahçe, expressing gratitude to sponsors committed to continued support.
He mentioned potential challenges with broadcast revenues for the upcoming season and the need to address the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye’s (CMB) monitoring due to the club being publicly traded.
Despite these challenges, Koç expressed confidence in overcoming them, highlighting the possibility of selling players to manage the wage bill and potentially turning a profit.
President Ali Koç discussed the club’s considerations regarding withdrawing from the league, emphasizing that it was seen as the least preferred option.
He announced the removal of this option until the general assembly in three months.
Regarding the upcoming Super Cup match with Galatasaray, Koç presented two options: either not playing the match at all or playing with the U19 team.
He urged fans not to make travel plans, explaining that the cost of not playing would result in legal and financial implications for the club.
Koç mentioned that not participating in the Turkish Cup next season is being considered as a third option.
He explained that this decision would involve not participating in the cup for at least two seasons, with the possibility of a three-month to 1-year ban.
Koç expressed that the club’s legal team would make applications to UEFA and FIFA regarding this decision.
He also discussed other options, such as not attending the Trabzonspor away match until the Faali Meçhul issue is resolved and requesting a foreign referee for the season’s remainder.
Koç concluded by highlighting the importance of member opinions before moving on to the voting phase.
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