Shocking Incident at Göztepe-Fenerbahçe Match

Incident at Göztepe vs Fenerbahçe Match: Fatih Özkan Placed Under House Arrest, His Criminal Record Surfaces

The match between Göztepe and Fenerbahçe was marred by an incident in which Ali Koç, who had gone to support Fenerbahçe fans unable to enter the stadium, was attacked while returning to the VIP stand. Fatih Özkan, who pushed Koç from behind, causing him to fall, has a criminal record from a previous controversial İzmir derby. Following the match, statements were released by Göztepe’s Honorary President Mehmet Sepil and Fenerbahçe. Özkan was detained and placed under house arrest by the court. Additionally, Özkan’s police statement has been made public.

During the halftime and early in the second half of the match between Göztepe and Fenerbahçe in the second week of the Süper Lig at Gürsel Aksel Stadium, unbelievable events unfolded. A group of Fenerbahçe fans with tickets were unable to enter the stadium for a long period during the first half, leading to unrest. The police intervened with tear gas, prompting Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç to go to the southern stand at halftime to speak with officials and try to resolve the issue. Shortly after the second half began, Koç and his entourage moved towards the VIP stand, where Göztepe fans reacted strongly. Amidst objects being thrown onto the field, Özkan, who had an accreditation card, pushed Koç from behind, causing him to fall. After getting up, Koç was hit on the head by a water bottle thrown from the stands.

Was Ali Koç Supposed to Be Serving a Ban?
After the Galatasaray match on May 19, Ali Koç received a 90-day ban from the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK). Questions arose about how Koç was present at the Göztepe match despite this ban. Fenerbahçe Board Member Ali Alper Alpoğlu clarified:
“Some individuals and accounts are trying to manipulate the situation by falsely claiming that our President violated the rules by attending the match despite his 90-day ban. The truth is that according to Article 97/4 of the Football Disciplinary Regulations, bans imposed on club presidents and executives can be converted into fines. This ban was executed in this manner, so there was nothing illegal or against the rules about our President being at the stadium.”

Fatih Özkan Placed Under House Arrest
The suspect who pushed Fenerbahçe President Ali Koç, causing him to fall, has been placed under house arrest. Koç filed a complaint against the individual who pushed him and all officials responsible for negligence. Following this, İzmir Police Department’s Sports Security Branch detained Özkan, who was taken to court after his statement at the police station. After being questioned by the prosecutor, Özkan was brought before a criminal court, which ordered him to be placed under house arrest.

Özkan’s Statement Revealed
In his police statement, Fatih Özkan claimed, “I wanted to remove Ali Koç from the field. The ground was wet. I misjudged my speed and unintentionally pushed him hard. I did not intend to cause harm.”

Previous Incident at the Controversial İzmir Derby
Fatih Özkan was previously among those prosecuted for “aiding attempted murder” after the controversial İzmir derby between Göztepe and Altay on November 27, 2022. He was released under judicial control at a later stage of the trial.

Fenerbahçe’s Statement
Fenerbahçe Club released a statement regarding the incident that occurred during the match:
“During the halftime of the match between our football team and Göztepe, and while our executives were outside speaking with officials about the situation where our fans were not being allowed into the stadium and were subjected to tear gas, our President Ali Y. Koç and our Secretary General Burak Kızılhan went to the stands to speak with officials.

As our President and Secretary General were returning to their seats after our fans were allowed in and the situation calmed down, our President was attacked from behind by a so-called football terrorist with a Göztepe accreditation card for no apparent reason. Although it was reported that the person responsible for the heinous attack was taken by the authorities to give a statement at the Sports Department, it was later learned that the person continued to watch the rest of the match with his accreditation card, no action was taken against him, and he left the stadium after changing his clothes, which was only noticed by a journalist.

While it is well known that even the slightest disturbances are dealt with immediately and measures are taken under Law 6222, where does the privilege of this person with a Göztepe accreditation card come from, and who provides it? Who gives this person the courage to commit a crime in front of millions and then leave the stadium without any action being taken against him? Our President Ali Y. Koç has filed a criminal complaint against this football terrorist and all officials responsible for negligence, and the process will be closely monitored. We also inform the public that we will take all necessary steps regarding the treatment of our fans before, during, and after the match.”

Statement from Mehmet Sepil
Göztepe Honorary President Mehmet Sepil also made a statement after the match:
“If a mistake was made by Göztepe, we apologize, but Göztepe’s rights will be protected. We will review what happened on Sunday. We will examine whether the actions taken within the football rules were correct. No one should doubt this. I have not been in contact with President Ali Koç.”