Besiktas stick to their principles and refuse to return to complete Fenerbahce semi-final

May 4 – In what must be virtually a unique scenario, Besiktas kept their word on Thursday and failed to turn up for the controversial resumption of their abandoned Turkish Cup semi-final second leg at Fenerbahce.

The original match at was called off after 57 minutes when Besiktas coach Senol Gunes was hit on the head by an object thrown from the crowd. Turkey’s Football Federation ruled the rest of the game should resume behind closed doors.

The two Istanbul rivals drew the first leg 2-2 at Besiktas and the second game was 0-0 when it was stopped after Gunes, 65, was struck. He needed five stitches in his head after he was taken to hospital.

As a result of Besiktas’ protest Fenerbahce were declared winners while Besiktas have been banned from next season’s competition. They will also have to pay back the four million Turkish lira they won in prize money from the competition this year.

Besiktas had tried to overturn the TFF’s decision to resume the match, but their appeal was rejected.

Quite why the Turkish FA ruled that the rest of the second leg should resume is a serious issue since Fenerbahce were clearly the guilty party and there will be close who question the motives even though Fenerbahce were fined one million lira and club forced to play three games behind closed doors.

“Besiktas made a difficult decision. I would have preferred to lose instead of winning this way,” said Fenerbahce coach Aykut Kocaman, whose team will play Akhisarspor in the final.

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