Galatasaray officiating scandal latest: Club chairman resigns amidst Adana Demirspor fiasco

Turkish football is in turmoil after Adana Demirspor walked off the pitch in protest against refereeing decisions in their match against Galatasaray.

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The controversy has already led to the resignation of Adana Demirspor chairman Bedirhan Durak, who cited a "deadlock" in his statement.

The match was abandoned in the 30th minute after Adana Demirspor players, furious over a 12th-minute penalty awarded to Galatasaray, refused to continue.

The spot-kick, converted by Alvaro Morata, was highly contested, prompting the visitors to leave the field.

The now-former club president Metin Korkmaz clarified that their protest was not aimed at Galatasaray but at the Turkish Refereeing Committee.

Meanwhile, Galatasaray players remained on the pitch, using the break for training drills, which did nothing to help assuage suspicions of officiating bias.

Following the controversial match, Adana Demirspor's chairman, Durak, announced his resignation saying, "I now sadly see that we have reached a deadlock. For the sake of my club, my family, my loved ones, and my health, I hereby announce my resignation from the presidency.

Galatasaray has faced several refereeing controversies this season. Their recent 1-0 win over Konyaspor also saw accusations of bias after a disputed penalty decision in the 22nd minute, converted by Victor Osimhen.

Konyaspor’s head coach, Recep Ucar, criticised referee Halil Umut Meler for alleged favouritism, and the club released a video on social media decrying the officiating during the match.

Galatasaray’s main title rivals, Fenerbahce, have also weighed in, releasing a scathing statement accusing the league leaders of manipulating the system.

They condemned the club for “misleading referees and football fans” and claimed there was "neither trust nor justice left" in Turkish football.

With the Turkish Super Lig’s integrity now under question, Galatasaray’s title challenge risks being overshadowed by growing accusations of favouritism and match-fixing.