Cyprus-Forum.com

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Updated: Nov. 17, 2005
Swiss and Turks face FIFA ban, warns Blatter

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has warned Turkey and Switzerland could face suspension following the violent scenes which followed their World Cup qualifying play-off in Istanbul.

The match, which saw Turkey win 4-2 on the night but eliminated on the away goals rule after losing the first leg 2-0, ended in controversy with a fracas between players from both sides in the tunnel.


At a press conference in Zurich today, Blatter described the incidents as 'trampling fair play underfoot' and announced world football's governing body would come down hard on the perpetrators.

'If you ask me what the sanctions can be, they can go from a warning to the suspension of the federation,' he said.

'I can tell you this, not as a Swiss, but as the president of FIFA that we will act here and we will act tough.

'This was anti-fair play.'

However, Blatter - who is himself Swiss - angered Turkish Football Federation vice-president Sekip Mosturoglu by adding: 'The Turks had the chance after the (first-leg) defeat to act as a good host and show that revenge is not part of football.'

Mosturoglu responded: 'It is an extremely unfortunate statement. This was not a one-sided event.'

Blatter later added on Sky Sports News: 'To say that I am a happy man today would not be true.

'I am disappointed about the incidents that have happened in Istanbul, especially the lack of respect shown by the Turkish football federation towards the visiting team since Monday when they arrived there and also what happened during the match, the hostility of the spectators and (incidents) at the end of the match.

'Therefore the FIFA disciplinary committee will open an investigation to go in depth in this matter. We will hear not only from our representatives there - we had the security officer, match commissioner, referees inspector and the referee - who was good, by the way - but then we will go to the Turkish and Swiss federations and after that the committee will make a decision.

'I don't know what the decision will be but they have to do it very quickly because we are close to the World Cup draw which is scheduled for December 9.'

Swiss midfielder Benjamin Huggel was seen to kick a member of the Turkish coaching staff as he ran off the pitch before Turkey defender Alpay aimed a kick at Marco Streller.

Television footage then showed a melee breaking out in the tunnel involving several players. Swiss defender Stephane Grichting was also reportedly hospitalised after being kicked in the groin.

[Alexis]

Alpay up to his old tricks again
PS: I'm not saying any of this was his fault but going by his track record

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lol didnt he headbutt Beckham in an international a few years ago?

[Alexis]

lol didnt he headbutt Beckham in an international a few years ago?

Yeah, something like that. It was during the 2004 Euro cup qualifiers.
In the Away game in England he was involved in a spat between Turkish and English players. In the return match in Turkey he had a clash with Beckham which effectively ended his Premiership career (he was playing for Aston Villa at the time) because of all the negative media in the UK.
I'm not sure anything was 100% his fault but his name always seems to appear when anything happens in these games.

[Main_Source]

yeah but I swear I heard something about him being given the sack recently in Japan because of violant conduct or something lol.

I think turkey are upset because they are major under-achievers. Good players but nothing consistant internationally.

[Sotos]

Why should the Swiss be baned? It is obvious that the Turks were furious that they didn't pass and they caused this. Why would the Swiss want to cause trouble in Turkey when they were the ones who qualified?

[Main_Source]

Nah, aparantly in a Turkish newspaper, they admitted it was the Turkish team who started it. They caught on camera one of the Turkish coaching staff tripping up a Swiss play on the by-line...and that player reacted.

Sepp Blatter sounded very pissed off about the whole thing. dont think they will do anything to Turkey though....their fans have done a lot worse over the years and nothing has come of it.

[akiner]

Quote:
lol didnt he headbutt Beckham in an international a few years ago?


Yeah, something like that. It was during the 2004 Euro cup qualifiers.
In the Away game in England he was involved in a spat between Turkish and English players. In the return match in Turkey he had a clash with Beckham which effectively ended his Premiership career (he was playing for Aston Villa at the time) because of all the RACIST negative media in the UK.
I'm not sure anything was 100% his fault but his name always seems to appear when anything happens in these games.

Fixed

[Alexis]

Agreed. Some elements of the media in the UK are racist.
But please don't tell me Alpay helped his cause with his behaviour on the field. Why didn't the British press go for Tugay who was also involved in some of the incidents + also played in the UK?[/quote]

[Main_Source]

Alpay brought the media attention on himself

Tugay is a good player and just puts his head down and plays football.