Media, officials and fans furious over FIFA punishment

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FIFA ordered Turkey to play its next six home matches abroad or behind closed doors in response to a fracas during a World Cup qualifier against Switzerland in Istanbul. The move means Turkey essentially would have to play its entire qualifying programme for Euro 2008 on the road, or without any home support.

“What is the spectator's crime? An unjust punishment from FIFA,” the daily Sabah newspaper said in a front-page headline. The paper published FIFA’s fax and phone number for readers to call and complain. It also a provided a protest letter which read in part: “It is clear that you don't like to see our country in Switzerland at Euro 2008 but I am sure we will succeed in qualifying for the finals. We will be there.”

The punishment stems from incidents at Switzerland’s second-leg World Cup playoff against Turkey, in which several players and coaches were involved in physical altercations off the field. Along with Turkey’s six-match ban, FIFA said in a statement that two Turkish players, Alpay Ozalan and Emre Belozoglu, would be banned for six matches, as would Switzerland's Benjamin Huggel who admitted kicking Turkish assistant coach Mehmet Ozdilek. Ozdilek has been ordered to stay away from soccer for 12 months for his part in the incidents. He resigned after television pictures showed him attempting to trip a Swiss player as they left the pitch. Television pictures showed defender Alpay kicking Swiss forward Marco Streller in the players' tunnel after the game.

Turkey won the game 4-2, but failed to qualify after Switzerland advanced on the away goals rule. Turkey's football federation said it would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland. “I describe this decision as unacceptable. This is a political decision rather than a sports decision,” Turkey's sports minister Mehmet Ali Sahin told NTV news channel. Officials charged that the punishment was politically motivated. Islamic-leaning Yeni Safak newspaper said: “The increasing political hostility in Europe is reflected in the decisions of FIFA's disciplinary committee.” FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who is Swiss, said in November that he was furious at the damage done to football’s image after the incident.