New arrests in Turkey match-fix probe

Police arrested the president of Champions League hopefuls Trabzonspor and the former head of Turkey's football federation on Monday as part of a widening match-fixing probe, a news report said. Sadri Sener, whose club were runners-up in last season's Turkish championship, was detained in a series of early morning raids, only days after the president of the champions Fenerbahce was also arrested. Sener and former national federation chief Mahmut Ozgener are now being questioned at the national police headquarters in Istanbul, acccording to media reports. Ozgener's former advisor Mumtaz Karakaya was also among the arrests, NTV news channel said. The latest arrest wave includes Mehmet Levent Kizil, the former executive committe member of the federation, and Ankaragucu teams' goalkeeper Serdar Kulbilge, media reports said. Police are investigating the outcome of 19 matches in Turkey's top two divisions last season which ended with Fenerbahce clinching the title on the final day by goal difference from Trabzonspor. The inquiry and arrests have created shock waves among football supporters amid the prospect that Fenerbahce could be stripped of the title. Several hundred Fenerbahce fans demonstrated by a bridge over the Bosphorous in Istanbul on Sunday night after the club president Aziz Yildirim was formally detained in custody so that he could await trial. Police had to use teargas to disperse the supporters, many of whom were chanting slogans in support of Yildirim and threats against anyone trying to act against the club. Around 60 people were detained in the first wave of arrests on July 3 and Fenerbahce's vice-president Sekip Mosturoglu and financial chief Tamer Yelkovan are also among those still in custody. Two Fenerbahce players -- Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike and forward Sezer Ozturk -- were questioned and released. The Turkish Football Federation is expected to decide whether to slap any immediate sanctions on Fenerbahce by Friday, the deadline to notify UEFA of which teams will play in European competitions. Trabzonspor, who have won the national championship six times, are to due go into the third qualifying round of the Champions League. The club is based in the northern city of Trabzon on the shores of the Black Sea