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Legendary Turkish football figure Sergen Yalcin, speaking after the Galatasaray-Goztepe match at Rams Park, made explosive claims about referee Abdulkadir Bitigen.
The former Besiktas and Antalyaspor coach alleges that Bitigen admitted to “making up” for officiating decisions in a previous match.
Referee controversies are a recurring hot topic in Turkish football, often fueling debates about the integrity of match officials.
Sergen Yalcin’s allegations bring fresh attention to referee behavior and transparency, potentially raising concerns about fairness and credibility in high-stakes matches.
Referee Abdulkadir Bitigen officiated Antalyaspor’s home game against Hatayspor a few weeks after the controversial Galatasaray encounter.
Yalcin implies that this was where the so-called “compensation” occurred, although the specifics remain open to interpretation.
Turkish football has a longstanding history of heated discussions over refereeing. Allegations of “make-up calls” or partiality only heighten tension between clubs and officials.
As questions linger about officiating standards and transparency, fans and clubs may push for more robust reforms in Türkiye’s football governance structures.
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