Turkish football was plunged into fresh turmoil on Sunday when Adana Demirspor abandoned their Süper Lig match against Galatasaray at Rams Park, protesting what they perceived as a dubious refereeing decision.
The match, which saw Galatasaray lead 1-0 in the 30th minute, was halted after the visitors walked off the pitch in protest of a controversial penalty call.
In the 11th minute, Galatasaray was awarded a spot-kick after Dries Mertens was adjudged to have been tripped.
Alvaro Morata, the club's new signing, converted the penalty. However, replays suggested that Mertens had exaggerated the contact, sparking fury from the Adana Demirspor players and officials.
Despite the protests, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) upheld the decision, further stoking the flames of outrage. "If a mistake was made, it will be evaluated," Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk said after the match. "In my view, it was more likely not to have been a penalty, but this isn’t the first time mistakes have been made against Adana Demirspor."
As frustrations mounted over additional officiating calls, Adana Demirspor’s players abruptly left the pitch, their protest echoed by boos from the crowd. The club clarified that the walk-off was directed at the refereeing body, not Galatasaray. "This protest is aimed at the refereeing body, not at Galatasaray," said Metin Korkmaz, Adana Demirspor’s Deputy Chairman.
Referee Oğuzhan Çakır briefly waited before officially suspending the match, and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) is expected to award a forfeit win to Galatasaray, as indicated on their website.
The incident follows a similar one from last year, when Istanbulspor walked off against Trabzonspor, resulting in a 3-0 forfeit loss and a three-point deduction.
Buruk, reflecting on the broader implications, expressed his disappointment. "This damages our league," he said. "We already struggle with our perception abroad, and incidents like this only make things worse."
The fallout continued with Adana Demirspor’s chairman, Bedirhan Durak, announcing his resignation the following morning. "I now sadly see that we have reached a deadlock," Durak said in a statement. "For the sake of my club, my family, my loved ones, and my health, I hereby announce my resignation from the presidency."
The controversial walk-off, sparked by a penalty awarded to Galatasaray’s Morata in the 12th minute, has kept tensions surrounding refereeing standards in Turkish football at a fever pitch.
As the TFF has yet to deliver an official ruling, the controversy remains unresolved.
