Jose Mourinho Faces Four-Match Ban and Legal Battle Over Alleged Racist Comments

The Turkish Football Federation penalized Mourinho for remarks about referees, while Fenerbahce and Galatasaray escalate legal actions over the controversy.

Jose Mourinho, Fenerbahce's coach, was handed a four-match ban and fined 1.6 million Turkish lira ($44,000) by the Turkish Football Federation for 'offensive' comments about Turkish referees following a match against Galatasaray.
Mourinho praised the performance of the foreign referee for the game but criticized a Turkish official, using language Galatasaray claims was racist, referring to their bench as 'jumping around like monkeys.'
Fenerbahce defended Mourinho, stating his comments were taken out of context and not intended to be racist, while Galatasaray announced plans to pursue criminal proceedings and report the remarks to FIFA and UEFA.
Fenerbahce has filed a lawsuit against Galatasaray, seeking damages of 1.9 million Turkish lira ($52,000), claiming an attack on Mourinho's personal rights through 'baseless accusations.'
Mourinho has previously faced fines and suspensions for critical remarks about Turkish referees since joining Fenerbahce in 2024 after a high-profile career in European football.