Fenerbahce goalkeeper banned for 3 games

Turkish goalkeeper Volkan Demirel has been handed a three-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Fenerbahce will be without their veteran goalkeeper, Volkan Demirel, after the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) handed the player a three-game suspension and a 26,000 Turkish Lira (TL) fine for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The announcement was made on Friday by the Professional Football Disciplinary Board of the TFF.

The decision to ban and fine the goalkeeper comes after Demirel’s outbursts and provocations towards a technical staff member of Trabzonspor during last week’s Super Lig clash between Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor in Istanbul.

According to the statement released by the TFF, Demirel’s actions and behaviour toward a staff member of a rival team during and before the game was unsportsmanlike.

The Turkish goalkeeper was seen on camera arguing with Trabzonspor coach Gokhan Kandemir while the two teams were walking to their change-rooms after the game.

Kandemir is reported to have shouted “You will be relegated!” at Demirel, to which the Fenerbahce goalkeeper responded provocatively.

Demirel reportedly responded with a threat to “have [Kandemir] removed from the team’s bus and make him apologize.” The experienced goalkeeper was in trouble with the TFF seven years ago, having made a similar threat to a sports journalist in Turkey.

Demirel is no stranger to controversy having been involved in numerous squabbles between players and coaches of opposition teams, particularly during derbies.

In 2015, he was given a four-game suspension after insulting referees after another Fenerbahce-Trabzonspor game.