The trio of referees, consisting of Aytug Ekti, Zafer Yilmaz, and Serdar Unal, has been suspended for the remainder of the season for mistakes made in Game 3 between Efes and Fenerbahce.
Game 3 of the Turkish League semifinals between Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul sparked a lot of controversy due to the referee's decisions.
The Turkish Basketball Federation, represented by Vice President Kemal Dincer, addressed the issue in a statement.
The statement revealed that the trio of referees, consisting of Aytug Ekti, Zafer Yilmaz, and Serdar Unal, have been suspended for the remainder of the season.
The report expressed overall satisfaction with the referees' performance throughout the season but acknowledged that the whistles blown during the fourth quarter of the semi-final game at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall had a significant impact on the game's outcome.
Full statement by Kemal Dincer:
While we have been consistently pleased with the performance of our referees throughout the season, the calls made during the fourth quarter of the Anadolu Efes-Fenerbahce Beko semi-final game at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall had a significant impact on the match outcome.
Although I am confident that there was no ill intention, as the Vice President of the Turkish Basketball Federation responsible for the Central Referee Board, I personally felt disappointed.
Taking into account all the technical aspects of the situation, the Central Referee Board has decided to temporarily relieve the three referees from officiating any further games until the end of the season.
I am truly delighted by the exceptional quality of basketball displayed in the semi-final games between Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahce Beko. These two esteemed clubs not only represent our nation abroad with their remarkable achievements but also bring immense strength and vibrancy to our basketball league through their fierce competition.
I firmly believe that the focus of the playoff series should revolve around the battles on the court, rather than scrutinizing the referees.
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