Fenerbahçe manager José Mourinho has been handed a two-game ban by the Turkish Football Federation following controversial comments made after his side’s 0-0 draw with Galatasaray in the Istanbul Derby last weekend. In his post-match remarks, Mourinho criticized the Galatasaray bench, accusing them of “jumping like monkeys” after an early challenge. He also claimed that the match would have been a “disaster” if a Turkish referee had officiated, instead of the Slovenian Slavko Vinčić.
Galatasaray responded strongly to Mourinho’s comments, accusing him of racism and threatening legal action. In defense of their coach, Fenerbahçe issued a statement claiming that Mourinho’s words were “completely taken out of context” and that there had been an attempt to deliberately distort his comments.
Despite Fenerbahçe’s defense, the Turkish Football Federation has imposed a two-match ban on Mourinho for making racist remarks, along with a further two-match suspension for offensive comments directed at the fourth official during the game. This disciplinary action highlights the seriousness of the accusations and the Turkish football authorities’ stance on maintaining respect and decency within the sport.
