Cuneyt Cakir is no longer allowed to whistle in Turkey. He should now have an offer from Switzerland.
A spectacular referee change is apparently in the offing in European football. Cuneyt Cakir could switch from the Turkish to the Swiss association. Former Turkish referee and long-time Cakir colleague Deniz Coban reported in his column for the newspaper Fanatik on Wednesday that FIFA elite referee Cakir had received an offer from the Swiss FA.
Accordingly, the Turkish association has received an official request to let Cakir referee games in the Swiss Super League this season. An answer from the Turkish association is still pending. The background to the possible change of association is the referee earthquake in Turkey at the beginning of March. The Turkish FA suspended several top referees with immediate effect. Cuneyt Cakir was also there.
Cuneyt Cakir is no longer allowed to whistle in Turkey
The referee committee of the association justified the process at the time with an upheaval that they wanted to initiate. There was no criminal background.
Last week, the Turkish Federation’s Appeals Committee granted an appeal by the referees concerned and declared the suspension of the referees to be unlawful. So they can continue to do their job.
But despite this verdict, referee chairman Ferhat Gündogdu insists on his point of view and does not want to use the referees. A senior board member of the association therefore resigned on Wednesday.
For Cüneyt Çakır, the 2022 World Cup is in danger
The suspension is particularly bitter for Cakir. The experienced referee is about to play his sixth major tournament, having officiated at three European Championships and two World Cups and was also scheduled for the 2022 World Cup. Without appearances in the domestic league, participation in the World Cup is not possible.
In Switzerland, Cakir could get the necessary assignments. In addition to the FIFA man from the elite category, his assistants who have been suspended in Turkey should also move to Switzerland. It is still unclear whether Turkey will agree.
