Galatasaray To File Official Complaint Over Mourinho’s Alleged Racist Comments

By: Gyang Dakwo

Galatasaray has announced its intention to lodge an official complaint with UEFA and FIFA following alleged “racist statements” made by Fenerbahce head coach Jose Mourinho after the heated Istanbul derby in the Turkish Super Lig. The match, which ended in a 0-0 draw, was overshadowed by Mourinho’s post-match remarks, in which he criticized the behavior of Galatasaray staff, accusing them of “jumping like monkeys” during appeals for decisions.

The tension between the two clubs had been building ahead of the fixture, with Mourinho repeatedly voicing his dissatisfaction with the standard of refereeing in Turkey.

The former Manchester United and Chelsea manager had praised the appointment of Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, who officiated last season’s UEFA Champions League final, but took aim at Turkish officials during his post-match comments.

Mourinho specifically referenced an incident in the first minute of the game, where he claimed a Galatasaray player dived and the bench overreacted.

“We thank the referee because after the big dive in the first minute and their bench is jumping like monkeys on top of the kid, with a Turkish referee, the kid would have a yellow card after one minute, and after five minutes I would have to change. Thankfully, it was a perfect experience for him,” he said during his press conference.

Galatasaray responded strongly to Mourinho’s comments, releasing a statement condemning his remarks as “unequivocally inhumane rhetoric.” The club accused Mourinho of persistently making derogatory statements toward the Turkish people since his arrival in Turkey and announced plans to initiate criminal proceedings over the alleged racist comments.

“Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric,” the statement read. “We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.”

Galatasaray also called on Fenerbahce, a club that claims to uphold “exemplary moral values,” to address Mourinho’s conduct. The fallout from the derby is likely to escalate as both clubs and football governing bodies respond to the controversy.

The incident has reignited discussions about racism and respect in football, with Galatasaray’s decision to take formal action highlighting the seriousness of the allegations. UEFA and FIFA are expected to review the matter in the coming days.