October 19 – International Turkish midfielder Arda Turan, on loan from Barcelona, has been fined €370,000 by Istanbul Basaksehir following his part in an alleged nightclub altercation with well-known Turkish pop singer Berkay Sahin.
Turan has already been charged by Turkish prosecutors who have called for a 12-year jail for alleged sexual harassment, unlicensed possession of weapons and causing intentional injury .
According to the state-run Anadolu Agency, the fine handed out by his club is the highest ever in Turkish football though Turan apparently claims the media have greatly exaggerated the incident.
The club’s statement made it clear Turan will continue to play until he appears in court.
“As this matter is now with a court of law, and reserving the right to make additional decisions and sanctions, we have fined Arda Turan 2.5million Turkish lira and we would like to inform the public that our player’s professional obligations to our club will continue until the court makes its final decision in this regard,” a statement said.
The Turkish press claims Turan broke the singer’s nose in a fight that started after he made adverse comments to Sahin’s wife. Later, at hospital, he is reported to have pulled out and fired a pistol while telling Berkay: “I didn’t know she is your wife. I’m sorry, just kill me.”
Turan moved to Barcelona from Atletico Madrid in 2015 but failed to impress at the Camp Nou. He returned to his native Turkey on loan in January but in May last year he was banned for 16 matches for an altercation with a linesman.
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