Fenerbahce supporters cheer at the stand prior to a Europa league play-off first leg soccer match between Fenerbahce and Nottingham Forest in Istanbul, February 19. [AP]
A Turkish court sentenced Fenerbahce Chairman Sadettin Saran to 2-1/2 years in prison for inciting illegal betting, days before the Turkish club was set to hold a congress to elect his replacement.
The ruling by an Istanbul court said Saran and his brother, Kenan Saran, were sentenced to two years and six months in jail for “inciting individuals to engage in illegal betting through advertising or various other means.”
Sadettin Saran had denied any wrongdoing in his court defense, local media reported.
Saran was briefly detained by authorities earlier this year as part of a wide probe into drug use among Turkish celebrities but was later released. He later announced that he would step down from his position and the club in March announced it would hold an extraordinary congress on June 6-7.
