Former president Aziz Yıldırım made a historic return to the presidency of Fenerbahçe on 7 June after winning by a landslide in special elections held yesterday, Sunday, in which the veteran leader promised to bring the club a Turkish league title next season after 13 years without one, coinciding with the 120th anniversary of the founding of Fenerbahçe.
The club’s Extraordinary General Election Assembly took place yesterday at Fenerbahçe’s Şükrü Saracoğlu Sports Complex and on the grounds adjacent to the stadium known as the Kenan Evren grounds. In the presidential vote, in which Yıldırım faced businessman Hakan Safi, Yıldırım secured 17,245 votes and became the 35th president of the yellow and blue side, according to the official results announced by the club, whilst Safi received 9,927 votes, reported the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet.
The election saw the highest turnout in the club’s history, with over 27,000 votes cast. The outgoing president, Sadettin Saran, heavily criticised for the club’s lack of trophies and tainted by several scandals, including a recent prison sentence for promoting illegal betting, did not stand in this election.
Winning a league title, top priority for Yıldırım
The new president’s immediate priority will, in fact, be to end the prolonged title drought. Yıldırım stated that he will focus all his efforts on ensuring the team is crowned Süper Lig champions next season, which coincides with the club’s 120th anniversary. “I’ve missed singing championship songs in this stadium, but I’ll sing them here with you,” he said in a speech delivered from the stadium after being elected.
“Fenerbahçe cannot tolerate another season without winning the championship. From Monday, we will work tirelessly to win the league title. As for those asking which manager or which player we will use, that is the job… Championships are won with spirit, will and determination. Do not forget that in the last 40 years of Fenerbahçe’s history, Aziz Yıldırım has led the club to six league titles, whilst other presidents have managed it only twice,” announced the veteran leader during his speech, as quoted by the DHA news agency.
The history of Aziz Yıldırım – who is currently 73 years old – with Fenerbahçe is worthy of study. He has been elected president of the Turkish club no fewer than 12 consecutive times out of the 15 elections in which he has stood. He first became president of Fenerbahçe on 15 February 1998, when he defeated Vefa Küçük by a single vote. Between 14 June 1998 and 31 May 2015, he was re-elected in 10 elections, in seven of which he was the sole candidate. Even whilst in prison on charges of bribery and match-fixing, he received 5,269 votes during the elections held on 20 May 2012, in which he was also the sole candidate. Yıldırım lost the presidency to billionaire Ali Koç in 2018, and failed in his attempt to unseat him in 2024.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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