Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen and Galatasaray have reason to celebrate as turmoil hits their rivals’ camp, throwing the opposition into disarray ahead of crucial moments in the season.
Turkish football has been rocked by controversy after Fenerbahçe president Sadettin Saran was detained by police in Istanbul.
The detention reportedly follows a positive cocaine test and is linked to an expanding drug investigation that has drawn in several high-profile figures across Turkey.
Saran Detained As Drug Investigation Widens
Sadettin Saran was arrested on Wednesday after forensic analysis reportedly found traces of cocaine in hair samples, according to Turkish state media.
The detention was carried out by the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command under the supervision of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, following what authorities described as the discovery of additional evidence during the investigation.
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Prosecutors stated that Saran faces allegations including supplying narcotic substances, facilitating drug use, and personal drug consumption.
The Fenerbahçe president, who holds dual Turkish and U.S. citizenship, had been summoned by prosecutors last week to give testimony and was referred to a forensic medical institution for both hair and blood testing.
Saran is among more than a dozen individuals detained since early December as part of the same probe. Those taken into custody reportedly include television presenters, journalists, singers, actors, and social media figures, with alleged offences ranging from drug-related crimes to facilitating prostitution.
Fenerbahce Back President Amid Growing Scrutiny
Despite the unfolding controversy, Fenerbahçe moved swiftly to voice its support for its president. In a statement shared on X, the club said it had full confidence in Sadettin Saran and assured supporters that day-to-day operations would continue uninterrupted.
“We have full confidence that our president will overcome this process with the same common sense and fortitude he has always shown,” the statement read.
Earlier on Wednesday, Saran dismissed the test findings, stating that he has never used cocaine and confirming his intention to formally request a second examination. Elected chairman in September, the Denver-born businessman is now at the centre of one of the most significant scandals to hit Turkish sport in recent years.
Fenerbahçe, one of Turkey’s most successful and widely supported clubs, has previously been embroiled in legal controversy, including a case in which a former president was imprisoned on match-fixing charges before later being acquitted.
This latest development adds to the continued scrutiny of the club amid wider investigations into illegal betting and match manipulation within Turkish football.
