Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan has strongly criticized the refereeing decisions affecting the team since the start of the season. In a written statement, Doğan stated that these errors have exceeded the definition of 'mistakes' and have become the main agenda item in Turkish football.
According to the report by Fotomac, Doğan emphasized that the refereeing performance in the early weeks of the season has reached unacceptable levels. Trabzonspor currently sits 4th in the Süper Lig, having collected 7 points from 4 matches. The team has scored 9 goals and conceded 4, giving them a +5 goal difference. They are 3 points behind leaders Galatasaray.
What do the refereeing errors include?
Ertuğrul Doğan stated that the problems in refereeing are structural and that the Turkish Football Federation has not taken steps on this issue. Uncorrected mistakes, lack of VAR intervention in necessary positions, inconsistent application of rules, and VAR officials failing to correctly interpret situations are among the main complaints. Doğan specifically pointed to critical decisions against his team in matches against Kasımpaşa, Başakşehir, and Amedspor.
The Trabzonspor President said, "We will not remain silent while this effort is overshadowed by unacceptable referee decisions." He added that the club is fighting for important goals this season and expects the stadium to support these efforts. He noted the team is striving to maintain and improve its league position, which can also be seen on our standings page.
Call for justice and European standards
Doğan stressed that they have been demanding justice for years and explained Turkish football's need. "We have only wanted justice for years." he said.
He underlined that referees and VAR officials must have adequate training, physical and mental capacity. He said they must be able to apply the rules flawlessly and correct clear errors. He stated the club has no time to lose and that they do not want a refereeing management that affects concentration and confidence ahead of the upcoming match against Gençlerbirliği.
So when is the next match?
Trabzonspor's next Süper Lig match will be against Kocaelispor, who are 3rd in the table, on December 20, 2026. The match will be played at Medical Park Stadium. The team's full fixtures schedule can be accessed on our site. Ahead of this important home match, the team, both technical staff and players, continues its preparations.
Trabzonspor, with recent form recorded as WLWD, aims to stays in the upper ranks against Kocaelispor. The team's current squad structure and player statistics are also available on our site. The Black Sea Storm will continue its path in this early part of the season, battling both on-field performance and such off-field issues.
