Fenerbahçe president Sadettin Saran has strongly denied drug-related allegations after a forensic test detected traces of cocaine in a hair sample, as part of a wide-ranging anti-drug investigation against several prominent public figures in Turkey.
The investigation, which began earlier this month, led to Fenerbahçe president Sadettin Saran being summoned by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office to testify on suspicion of drug use. Saran gave a statement for about two and a half hours and was subsequently taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine, where hair, blood, urine and fingernail samples were taken, according to Turkish news channel NTV.
After a procedure at the Institute of Forensic Medicine that lasted approximately 45 minutes, Saran was released without any precautionary measures; however, according to the expert report, while the blood, urine and fingernail tests were negative, traces of cocaine were detected in the hair sample.
“I have neither used nor ever seen this drug“
In a written statement released via his social media profile, Saran strongly denied the report’s findings and assured that he has never used that substance: “First and foremost, I want to state clearly and unequivocally that I have never in my life used the substance that the Institute of Forensic Medicine has allegedly detected as positive. Not only have I never used it, but I have never even seen the substance in question”.
“I would also like to make it absolutely clear that I am prepared to provide all samples again immediately and without hesitation in the course of these proceedings. In this context, an official request will be made to the prosecutor’s office leading the investigation for the tests to be repeated at the Institute of Forensic Medicine,” the Turkish football club president added in his defence, completely rejecting the conclusions of the forensic report.
Saran decided to undergo further analysis at a private laboratory in the Şişli district today, where he went this afternoon. “Am I the best person in the world? No. Am I perfect? No. Have I committed a crime? No. If the state calls us, we will come immediately, wherever we are. We have nothing to hide. We will not hide like others. This country is ours,” Saran insisted, while warning about several messages on the Internet that he would file a criminal complaint for damage to his reputation.
The case of the Fenerbahçe president is not the only one. Since 8 October, the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office has carried out numerous operations as part of the drug investigation against several Turkish celebrities: singers, actresses, influencers and businessmen, among other well-known figures, have testified and handed over blood and hair samples for analysis and testing for cocaine and other substances. As part of this investigation, Turkish series actress İrem Sak, well-known influencer Danla Biliç and singer Aleyna Tilki, among other celebrities, were arrested on 18 December in simultaneous operations carried out in several locations in the Istanbul districts of Sarıyer, Eyüpsultan, Şişli, Üsküdar, Bakırköy and Esenyurt.
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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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