Beşiktaş have accused the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) of applying disciplinary rules unfairly after Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic was referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Committee over an incident during the club’s derby victory against Fenerbahçe.
Vlahovic was referred to the PFDK by the TFF Legal Counsel on Monday under Article 41 of the Football Disciplinary Instructions for alleged “insult” during Beşiktaş’s 2-1 victory over Fenerbahçe on Sept. 5.
The decision immediately drew a strong response from Beşiktaş, who questioned why Vlahovic was disciplined while Fenerbahçe defender Milan skriniar, who was involved in the same confrontation, was not referred.
The incident occurred during a tense second half at Chobani Stadium, where Beşiktaş rallied to claim a major derby victory.
skriniar put Fenerbahçe ahead in the 26th minute before Rıdvan Yılmaz equalized for the visitors 12 minutes later. Vlahovic then completed the comeback in the 73rd minute, scoring the winning goal in his first major derby for the Istanbul club.
The striker was at the center of a heated exchange with skriniar shortly after halftime. Both players were shown yellow cards around the 52nd and 53rd minutes following the confrontation.
According to Beşiktaş, however, the incident did not begin with Vlahovic. The club argued that skriniar had repeatedly provoked its striker through his words and actions during the match and questioned why only Vlahovic faced disciplinary proceedings.
“It is unacceptable that our player Dusan Vlahovic has been referred to the disciplinary board, while the opposing team player, who provoked our player with his actions and words throughout the match, has not been referred.,” Beşiktaş said in a statement.
The club described the referral as evidence that Turkish football is being managed without sufficient regard for “justice and equality” and accused the TFF and its disciplinary bodies of once again displaying what it called a hostile attitude toward Beşiktaş.
Beşiktaş also challenged the source of the evidence used to refer Vlahovic.
“If this referral decision was made on the basis of the broadcaster’s footage, was only the footage of our player provided to you by the broadcaster?” the club asked the federation.
The club also questioned the role of the video assistant referee system, arguing that VAR had access to multiple camera angles showing both players during the confrontation but did not intervene or call the referee to review the incident.
“VAR can follow both players from all angles in the incident that occurred on the pitch, so why did it not feel the need to call the match referee?” Beşiktaş said.
The club then turned its criticism toward the Süper Lig’s broadcaster, accusing it of presenting the incident selectively.
Beşiktaş claimed the broadcaster repeatedly showed Vlahovic during its coverage of the confrontation while failing to show skriniar in the same context, arguing that the presentation did not meet the standards of objectivity and equality expected of the league’s broadcaster.
The club said it would file the necessary objections with the relevant authorities to defend both Vlahovic and the institution.
The PFDK referral does not constitute a final disciplinary decision. As of Sept. 9, the committee had not announced a ruling on the case.
Article 41 covers conduct including insults, threats and attacks on personal rights. Depending on the nature of the offense and the person targeted, the regulations can result in a suspension of several matches if the charge is upheld.
The referral was made without precautionary suspension, meaning Vlahovic was not automatically barred from playing while the disciplinary process continued.
The case comes barely a month after Vlahovic joined Beşiktaş as a free agent following the end of his contract with Juventus.
The 26-year-old Serbia international signed a three-year deal with the Istanbul club in August, reportedly earning a guaranteed €7.5 million per season. He arrived with an impressive record in Italy, having scored 68 goals in 168 appearances for Juventus.
Under manager Vincenzo Italiano, Vlahovic has quickly emerged as a central figure in Beşiktaş’s attack, and his winning goal against Fenerbahçe gave him an immediate signature moment in one of Turkish football’s biggest fixtures.
The potential disciplinary case now threatens to overshadow that derby heroics.
For Beşiktaş, the dispute is about more than the availability of one player. The club’s unusually forceful statement frames the referral as another example of what it sees as inconsistent treatment by Turkish football authorities.
The PFDK’s eventual ruling will determine whether Vlahovic faces a suspension and how many matches he could miss, while Beşiktaş have made clear that they intend to challenge the decision through the appropriate channels.
