Fenerbahce’s Jose Mourinho Faces Four-Match Ban and Fine Over Referee Comments
ISTANBUL, Turkey — Jose Mourinho, the manager of Fenerbahce, has been handed a four-match suspension and a hefty fine by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) following his remarks about referees in the wake of a match against Galatasaray. The TFF imposed a fine of 1.6 million Turkish lira (approximately $44,000) on the 62-year-old Portuguese coach after he publicly criticized the officiating during a post-match press conference, following a goalless draw in the Super Lig on Monday.
Mourinho began serving his suspension on Thursday, missing Fenerbahce’s 4-1 victory in the Turkish Cup against Gaziantep. According to Sky Sports News, Fenerbahce has filed an appeal against the four-match ban. Should the appeal not succeed, Mourinho will be absent for the next three domestic fixtures.
In his comments after Monday’s match, Mourinho expressed support for the decision to appoint a foreign referee, commending Slovenian official Slavko Vincic for delivering a “top performance.” He recounted that he approached Vincic after the match to express his gratitude. However, in a comment directed at the fourth official, who was a Turkish referee, Mourinho remarked, “If you are the referee… it would be a disaster.”
When discussing an early incident in the game, he claimed that had a Turkish referee been officiating, they would have brandished a yellow card “after the big dive and their bench jumping around like monkeys.”
In response, the TFF stated that Mourinho’s comments were “derogatory and offensive” towards Turkish referees and contributed to the perception of chaos and disorder within Turkish football. The governing body determined that his statements breached sports ethics, potentially inciting violence and contributing to disorder among fans.
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