The referee earthquake in Turkey started in March, when TFF removed several top referees, including Cuneyt Cakir, from the First Division, with immediate effect. The Referees Committee justified the process at the time with a rejuvenation they wanted to initiate; there was no criminal background. Few weeks later, the TFF Appeals Committee declared the removal of the referees to be unlawful and allowed them to continue to do their job. Despite this verdict, the referee chairman, Ferhat Gündogdu, decided to not use these referees. His decision provoked strong reactions that led to the Referees Committee resignation. The TFF president, Servet Yardimci, appointed former FIFA referee Sabri Celik (photo) as the new chairman of Turkish referees, with the new members to be announced as soon as possible. It is expected that the new Referees Committee will follow the decision of the Appeals Committee and will reinstate the referees and observers removed by Gündogdu.
