Last Minute: The referee of Anadolu Efes – Fenerbahçe Beko match, Aytuğ Ekti, announced that he has quit his job! I condemn the decision of TBF

Aytuğ Ekti, the referee of the match played between Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahçe Beko in the third game of the play-off semi-finals of the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League, announced that he quit refereeing after the fight, due to the decisions taken by the Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) and the events that took place.

In the third match of the Basketball Super League play-off semi-finals series, Anadolu Efes defeated Fenerbahçe Beko 97-91, bringing the situation to 2-1 in the series. After the match, TBF announced that the match referees Aytuğ Ekti, Zafer Yılmaz and Serdar Ünal would not be given a match until the end of the season.

Referee Aytuğ Ekti, who shared about this decision, stated that he left the job and gave the following sentences:

“As a referee who has been a domestic and international referee for 30 years within the body of the Turkish Basketball Federation; I feel sorry for the refereeing profession for rejecting the decision of the Turkish Basketball Federation to let the referees rest until the end of the season, by the judgment of giving a gift to one side as a result of technical errors, the play-off semi-final match of the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League 2022-2023 season, the Efes-Fenerbahçe match. I submit to the public information that I have terminated my career out of respect. The expression ‘arbitrary decision affecting the outcome of the match’ is unacceptable for us, who are responsible for ensuring fair competition conditions in matches, but Fenerbahçe Management insists that larger and deterrent sanctions be applied. At this point, my priority in making this decision is my respect for the refereeing profession, which was implicated by the judgment that the results of the mentioned match were not technically determined. 30 years ago, my devotion to fulfill my duty as an arbitrator, which I respectfully chose from my ancestor; I’m sorry that it didn’t end in the way it deserves, but I also feel the responsibility of clearing a profession from this impurity in a way that befits my self-sacrifice. In the light of human ethical values ​​and sportive moral values, I wish my fellow referees many successful seasons in which they do not have to explain themselves and their technical decisions to the federations they are responsible for and the teams they are responsible for managing their matches, only subject to the International Basketball Rules.”

WHAT HAPPENED?

Fenerbahçe Beko’s head coach Dimitris Itoudis, who lost to Anadolu Efes in the third match of the Play-Off semi-finals of the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League, participated in the broadcaster’s live broadcast and criticized the referee’s decisions.

Anadolu Efes defeated Fenerbahçe Beko 97-91 in the third match of the Play-Off semi-finals of the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League, leading 2-1 in the series, and the referee’s decisions in the match became the subject of discussion.

Fenerbahce Beko Head Coach Dimitris Itoudis came on the air with a laptop after Anadolu Efes’ defeat and made criticisms by watching the referee’s decisions.

RESPONSE TO CHANGE

Criticizing the referee’s decisions by participating in the broadcaster’s live broadcast, Itoudis said, “I had a player on the sidelines for the change, they did not allow the substitution. I didn’t want to talk about the referees, but there were a lot of clear positions today. I congratulate Efes, they are a great team, they have a great coach, but we also play basketball. we are playing.” he said.

Watching Nigel Hayes-Davis’s five-point position, Dimitris Itoudis said, “M’Baye is on the rebound, Nigel is heading for the ball. Maybe they were watching another game. You see, there is a vertical movement, who is holding Nigel’s hand? M’Baye. To this position. They called a defensive foul. The score was 93-91.”

“REFERENCES DON’T STEAL ANYTHING”

Dimitris Itoudis, who watched Nigel Hayes-Davis watch the position where the technical foul was called, said, “Bryant is holding Nigel’s hand. He even comes and says, ‘I held his hand so you don’t score.’ taking.” He noted that mistakes were made against them in his words.

Dimitris Itoudis, who also criticized the decisions in the second game of the series, said, “I want to return to the 2nd game. A player from Efes made a gesture to the stands twice, he was not punished. In the TOFAŞ match, he received a technical foul due to Guduric’s gesture. There was 0.3 seconds left after Clyburn’s three-pointer in the previous game. They didn’t play us that 0.3 second.” He reacted with his words.

“DIFFERENT CRITERIA APPLIED”

Dimitris Itoudis, stating that there is an injustice in the number of fouls, said, “Today, different criteria were applied by the referees. In a critical match with so many quality players, 32 free throws and 10 free throws by one side raises the question marks.” he said.

TENSION ON FLOORING

There were tense moments after Anadolu Efes won 97-91. With the final whistle of the match, Fenerbahce managers entered the field after the referees and there was confusion. While the supporters of Ephesus were facing the rulers, the security intervened and calmed the parties.

HARD EXPLANATION FROM FENERBAHÇE

Fenerbahce, reacting to the referee’s decisions in the Anadolu Efes-Fenerbahçe Beko match with a statement made on its official website, asked the federation for an explanation.

The statement made by Fenerbahçe was as follows:

“Tonight, our Fenerbahçe Beko Men’s Basketball Team faced Anadolu Efes in the third game of the play-off semi-finals of the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League 2022-23 season.

The match was concluded 97-91 in favor of the home team, with the management of the match referees Aytuğ Ekti, Zafer Yılmaz and Serdar Ünal.

The result of this match was determined neither by the tactics of the coaches nor by the struggle of the teams on the field.

This match was presented to our opponent Efes by these 3 referees appointed by the Turkish Basketball Federation.

While Anadolu Efes was allowed to shoot 32 free throws throughout the match, this number remained only 12 for our Team; moreover, very critical fouls played or not played against our team at the decisive moments of the match determined the winner of the match.

We urgently await the explanation of the reason for the attitude of the referees in this match, the source of their motivation and the disgrace from the Turkish Basketball Federation.

With reference to the basketball game, which is the last example experienced today, everyone who has a duty and responsibility in Turkish sports, regardless of the branch, should know that;

With the material and moral investments he made in almost every branch of Turkish sports, unmatched sacrifice and indescribable effort; It’s time to put a stop to the blatant and blatant injustice of Fenerbahçe, which is one of the clubs that keep the brand value, competition and rating alive.

As Fenerbahçe Sports Club, our attitude and response will be in the harshest way if you will not properly manage the matches to be played, the struggle put forward, the efforts given, and determine the results with your referees.”

DECISION FROM TBF

The Turkish Basketball Federation announced that the referees in the third match of the Anadolu Efes – Fenerbahçe Beko semi-final series will be rested until the end of the season.

Referees Aytuğ Ekti, Zafer Yılmaz and Serdar Ünal, who played in the third game of the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League play-off semi-finals between Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahçe Beko and made controversial decisions at the end of the match, decided to rest until the end of the season from the TBF.

The statement signed by TBF Vice President Kemal Dinçer is as follows:

Although we are extremely satisfied with the general performance of our referees since the beginning of the season, the whistles played in the fourth quarter of the match played between Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahçe Beko at the Istanbul Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in the third match of the play-off semi-finals of the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League affected the end of the match, Although I am sure that there was no malicious intent in his capacity as the Vice President of the Basketball Federation responsible for the Central Arbitration Board, he upset me personally.

The Central Referee Board, which dealt with the issue with all its technical details, decided to rest the three referees of the match played yesterday with a similar assessment until the end of the season.

I am very pleased with the quality of basketball, both technical and spectacle, in the play-off semi-finals of the Turkish Insurance Basketball Super League between Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahçe Beko, our two distinguished clubs that represent our country abroad with their achievements that we are proud of and add great strength and color to our basketball with their competition in our league. .

I fully believe that a play-off series where the fight on the field is discussed, not the referees, will continue.