Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya: "Sports is first and foremost morality and respect."

Speaking at the meeting, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, "Sports is not a race measured solely by speed, strength, and victory. Sport is first and foremost about morality and respect. It's about respect for the opponent, the referee, the people in the stands, and most importantly, the spirit of the game. Without respect, sport becomes nothing more than fierce competition."

The "Sports Security Assessment Meeting" was held at the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) Hasan Doğan National Teams Camp and Training Facilities. Attendees included Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak, Deputy Interior Minister Mehmet Sağlam, Security Director General Mahmut Demirtaş, Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, TFF Super League Clubs Association President and Fenerbahçe Sports Club President Ali Koç, Galatasaray Club President Dursun Özbek, club representatives, and numerous other guests. The meeting addressed increasing cooperation and coordination with relevant stakeholders to prevent violence and disorder in sports and the development of security strategies for the new season.

"We have to protect not only physical security but also moral security"

Speaking at the meeting, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, "Sports is a universal value that matures the soul as much as it strengthens the body. It brings together different segments of society in the same stands and teaches respect, sportsmanship, determination and discipline. Sports is not a race measured only by speed, strength and victory. Sports is first and foremost morality and respect. It is respect for the opponent, the referee, the people in the stands, and most importantly, the spirit of the game. Where there is no respect, sports turns into a fierce competition. As our President has stated, 'Sports is the civilized expression of the sense of competition born of human nature.' That is why we have to teach our youth not only the rules of sports, but also the spirit of sports. In our civilization, 'bravery' is not measured only by defeating the opponent. The legacy we received from our civilization has never abandoned respect for the enemy even on the battlefield. Every young person running a ball on the field today is a modern carrier of this deep-rooted morality. That is why we say, 'We are not only "We must protect not only physical security but also moral security." Therefore, sports security is not just a matter of security for us; it is also our shared responsibility to our youth and all segments of our population. We must work together to create a competitive environment befitting the spirit of sport, and to create competitions where respect and enthusiasm prevail in the stands," he said.

"One of the ways to achieve peace in Türkiye is through the peace of Turkish sports."

Underlining the measures taken for sports security, Minister Yerlikaya said, "We are working to provide an orderly, safe and peaceful environment for our athletes, clubs and fans everywhere, from sports facilities to stadiums, from their surroundings to roads. Because one of the ways to peace in Türkiye is through the peace of Turkish sports. It depends on ensuring the security of sports venues where sports activities take place. Throughout the 2024-2025 season, 98 thousand 118 sports competitions took place across our country. 19 million 88 thousand citizens participated in these competitions. 1 million 88 thousand 546 police officers were assigned. In addition, 325 thousand 711 private security officers worked shoulder to shoulder with our police officers. Last year, legal action was taken against 6 thousand 818 individuals involved in the incidents within the scope of Law No. 6222 on the 'Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports'. Violence in sports venues around the world also seriously affects both the sports economy and social peace. "There are many impacts. According to UNESCO data, violence at sports competitions reduces youth interest in sports by an average of 27 percent. According to research by the Council of Europe's Sports Department, unsafe stadiums and poor crowd culture cause clubs to lose an average of 18 percent of their total revenue annually. The FIFA Fair Play Committee states that a violence-free match atmosphere doubles fan satisfaction and family participation. Therefore, keeping the spirit of football alive is possible not only by keeping the game itself clean, but also by keeping the environment clean," he said.

Yerlikaya stated that the Provincial Sports Security Boards, where risk analyses and all security measures for Super League matches are decided, now convene directly under the chairmanship of governors. "We have started to regularly assign our match security officers, who work in all stadiums, to the same stadium. This has strengthened the field experience of our match security officers and their communication with the fans. We have appointed a total of 250 match security officers for this season, 125 full and 125 reserve. In addition, we have established a sports security branch and ensured the specialization of our personnel in the Sports Security Branch Directorates. When we took office, there were Sports Security Branch Directorates in only 36 provinces, but we have increased institutional capacity and established Sports Security Branch Directorates in all of our provinces. We are aware of the power of sports to influence public opinion and that negativities occurring in sports fields can both disrupt the peace in our country and damage our reputation on an international scale. For this reason, risk analyses for matches have been made much more sensitive. Previously, we had 'A' (high), 'B' (medium), and 'C' (low) risk categories. "For the first time, we have added the 'AA', or 'Very high risk' category to these three existing risk categories," he said.

Minister Bak: "We want to talk about the positive side of football"

Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, stating that significant investments have been made in sports, said, "We've made significant investments in sports because our President comes from a sports and football background. At this point, Turkey has successfully organized many international events. We want to do good things together with our football-loving President and our people. We want to talk about the positive aspects of football."

Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu stated that they have embraced the principle of neutrality since their first day in office, saying, "We have maintained an equal distance from each club, and we will continue to do so. We have stated that football should contribute to brotherhood and peace. We have stated that we are in favor of unity, not polarization. As a federation, we remain neutral and want our clubs to compete in a sportsmanlike manner. Stadium security is an essential priority for the future of football. There can be no excuse for violence, provocation, or disorder in the stands. As a federation, we operate with a zero-tolerance approach to violence, provocation, or disorder in stadiums. In an environment where sports fans do not feel safe, there can be neither development nor success. Therefore, we are absolutely determined to ensure complete security in stadiums. We are integrating numerous technological and structural innovations into the pitch to ensure security. Our stadiums are equipped with the latest technological advancements to meet the needs of the times."

Ali Koç: "New deterrent risk penalties, including a lifetime ban, should be developed."

Ali Koç, President of the Super League Clubs Association and President of Fenerbahçe Sports Club, stated that match security services are a public responsibility. We believe that, just like political rallies or large social events, security services provided at public football matches should be financed, if not entirely, by public resources. This approach is not merely a financial demand, but also a requirement of the principles of social justice and equality. Security services are not just for clubs, but for the entire public order. Reducing the burden on our clubs, with our government's understanding of this matter, will greatly benefit Turkish football in terms of costs. In this context, our broadcasting revenue is approximately $170 million. Last year, all Super League clubs spent $8 million on security costs alone, not just private security. The disproportionately high number of on-field personnel on match days, especially in low-risk matches, increases our clubs' costs and also compromises resource efficiency. We observe that, especially in matches with low attendance, they sometimes assign more security personnel than spectators. Based on risk analysis, "A security plan tailored to the match type, audience profile, and local dynamics ensures the efficient use of public resources and reduces the burden on our clubs. In this context, we prioritize ensuring that security plans are flexible and data-driven. As we all know, football is inherently characterized by high emotions. However, attributing isolated incidents in the stands to the institutional structure of clubs and collectively punishing both clubs and fans undermines the sense of justice. We believe that individual actions should be attributed to individual problems, in accordance with the fundamental principle of Law No. 6222. Furthermore, new deterrent, risky penalties, including lifetime bans from stadiums, should be developed," he said.

UAV

Reporter: News Center