Mourinho handed 4-match ban over 'monkeys,' referee blast
Fenerbahçe coach Jose Mourinho on Thursday received a four-match suspension and a fine of about $44,000 for remarks he made after a heated Istanbul derby against Galatasaray.
After Monday's game ended in a 0-0 stalemate, the 62-year-old Mourinho said the home bench were "jumping like monkeys" following an early challenge.
Galatasaray accused him of making racist comments. Fenerbahçe rejected the accusation, saying the remarks had nothing to do with racism and were "deliberately taken entirely out of context and distorted in a misleading manner."
Many stood in his defense, including former Ivory Coast and Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, his Ghanaian ex-teammate at Chelsea.
The Portuguese also said the match was better for being refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vincic rather than Turkish officials.
On Thursday the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) disciplinary council handed down a two-match suspension for his comments against the fourth referee and two additional matches for his blast at the Galatasaray bench.
They were judged "contrary to sporting ethics."
Mourinho, whose team trail leaders Galatasaray by six points in the table, was fined TL 1.62 million (around $44,000).
Meanwhile, Galatasaray's coach Okan Buruk was handed a one-match ban and a fine of TL 1.5 million over statements "damaging the reputation of football and institutions."
The disciplinary council also ruled Fenerbahçe will have to play two away matches without spectators due to incidents caused by their supporters at Monday's game.
DailySabah
