The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has announced its decision to approve the requests of several clubs to withdraw from the ongoing football leagues due to the recent earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş.
The clubs include Hatayspor and Gaziantep FK competing in the Süper Lig, Yeni Malatyaspor and Adanaspor from the TFF 1. Lig, Adıyaman FK from the TFF 2. Lig, and TFF 3. Lig team Malatya Arguvan Spor.
The disaster, which has been described as the "disaster of the century," has affected 10 provinces in the region including Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, Malatya, Diyarbakır, Kilis, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman, Hatay, Osmaniye and Adana.
In an official statement, TFF announced that it would accept the applications of the clubs who requested to withdraw from the professional leagues, due to the impact of the earthquake.
The Board of Directors of TFF has also decided that the teams that withdraw from the league will be considered defeated (3-0) in the remaining competitions and the rival teams will be considered the winner (3-0).
However, the teams that have withdrawn from the league will be able to continue their sporting activities in the leagues in the 2023-2024 football season and the 2022-2023 season.
The TFF will pay the guarantee receivables for the rest of the season to the teams.
It was also reported that Niğde Anadoluspor, another team from the 3rd league, is preparing to submit a request to the TFF to withdraw, due to the damage sustained to their facilities as a result of the earthquakes.
Second-tier team Yeni Malatyaspor's goalkeeper Ahmet Eyüp Türkaslan died in the earthquakes that killed over 24,500 people in Türkiye alone.
In order to support the region affected by the earthquake, the TFF and the Clubs Association Foundation have decided to create a temporary shelter area of 1,000 containers in the earthquake zone.
To finance the project, the TFF has decided to buy TL 59 million ($3.13 million) from the broadcast distribution pool for the 2022-2023 season.
Despite the temporary changes in the rules for the foreign players in the Spor Toto Süper Lig and the Spor Toto 1. Lig, the broadcast pool equal distribution, championship, point performance, and season-end award shares will not change.
The broadcasting pool revenues will be reduced, with a contribution of TL 5 million each from Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, and Trabzonspor, and TL 3 million each from the Süper Lig clubs excluding the withdrawn teams.
The financing for the project will also come from the earthquake donations to TFF and from TFF's own resources.
The Süper Lig clubs will be able to add a maximum of two foreign national football players of the withdrawn teams to their staff on loan or testimonial during the interim transfer period.
These players can be included in the A-team list, regardless of the number of foreign players already determined until the end of the season.
One of these transferred players will be able to play as the 9th foreign player in the squad, which continues to compete at the same time, in addition to the 8 foreigners on the field.
The 1st League clubs will be able to transfer two foreign players from the withdrawn teams under the same conditions, and these players will be able to play as the 6th foreign player in addition to the five foreign players already on the field.
The TFF's decision to accept the requests of the clubs affected by the earthquake to withdraw from the leagues and provide support to the region has been lauded as a commendable step toward ensuring that the sport continues while also addressing the challenges posed by the disaster.
The federation's efforts to provide temporary shelter and financing to the earthquake zone also demonstrate its commitment to supporting the affected communities in their time of need.
