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Fenerbahce board member Cem Ciritci has criticized the EuroLeague Final Four organization in Athens, charging that ticketed Fenerbahce supporters were left outside the arena before the semifinal against Olympiacos.
The criticism comes amid serious claims that thousands of rival fans were allowed into the stadium without tickets.
Ciritci, who is responsible for basketball operations at the Turkish club, said the incidents raised concerns that went beyond the game itself and touched on security, ticketing, supporter rights and the credibility of one of European basketball’s top events.
In a statement shared on X, Ciritci said Fenerbahce fans who had bought tickets and traveled to Athens were forced to wait outside the venue in uncertainty before the semifinal.
He said the situation caused disorder among supporters, with families being separated and confusion spreading around the seating plan.
“A Final Four organization is not only about basketball on the court. It is about security, justice, supporter rights, ticketing systems, stand planning and respect shown to visiting fans,” Ciritci said.
The Final Four is the closing stage of the EuroLeague season, bringing together Europe’s leading basketball clubs for the semifinals and final. Because of its status, Ciritci said the organization was expected to guarantee safe and fair access for ticketed supporters.
Ciritci also called on EuroLeague officials and local organizers to explain allegations voiced by Fenerbahce supporters that around 5,000 Olympiacos fans without tickets entered the arena.
He said rival fans were reportedly seen in family sections allocated to Fenerbahce supporters, adding that such claims could not be treated as a minor disruption if ticket holders were kept outside while others entered without valid tickets.
“If ticketed supporters were left waiting outside while ticketless individuals were allowed inside, then this is no longer a simple organizational failure but a direct violation of supporter rights and a collapse of organizational credibility,” he said.
Ciritci said Fenerbahce would collect testimonies, records and evidence related to the alleged failures, including seating irregularities and claims about ticketless spectators entering the venue.
He added that the club would take legal steps over the incidents and expected EuroLeague to identify those responsible.
“EuroLeague cannot simply dismiss this situation as a ‘disruption.’ It must identify those responsible and establish a concrete compensation mechanism for affected supporters,” Ciritci said.
He also said the matter was not only about Fenerbahce, but about the reputation of European basketball as a whole.
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