August 1 – The failed military coup in Turkey has spilled over into football with the entire governing board of the Turkish FA resigning.
Quite how FIFA will react, given its strict rules over government interference and whether this can be construed as such, remains to be seen but the Turkish FA says all members of its committees have stepped down to help the investigation into U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who the government says was behind the coup that left more than 200 people dead
The FA said it had shared information with relevant state institutions about all its employees, competition organisers and the chairmen and members of its 11 affiliated boards.
So far, more than 60,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service, academia, media and other sectors have been either detained, suspended or placed under investigation over suspected links with Gulen who has denied orchestrating the coup. In the process Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cemented his position despite insisting that he has acted in the name of democracy.
The Turkish FA said in a statement that every member of all its committees had tendered their resignations “for the well-being of the ongoing security investigation” into the activities of Gulen.
The committees include those for arbitration, discipline, ethics, licensing, referees, anti-doping, health and foreign relations.
The resignations came just two weeks before the Turkish Supercup and three weeks before the start of the new league season.
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