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Fenerbahçe President Sadettin Saran was released under judicial control on Thursday after giving hours of testimony in Türkiye’s widening narcotics investigation, easing immediate uncertainty around one of the country’s most powerful football institutions but leaving serious legal and reputational questions unresolved.
Saran, a prominent Turkish-American media executive and chairman of Saran Holding, had been taken into custody late Wednesday by Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command teams as part of an investigation led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The probe, which has already ensnared high-profile figures from the media and entertainment sectors, expanded sharply into the sports world with the detention of the Fenerbahçe president just three months into his tenure.
After undergoing a routine health check, Saran was transferred to the Çağlayan Courthouse early Thursday morning.
His testimony before prosecutors lasted approximately two hours, after which authorities ordered his release under judicial control.
Legal sources said the measures include ongoing restrictions as the investigation continues.
In a written statement, the prosecutor’s office said Saran had been detained on suspicion of “supplying narcotics,” “facilitating drug use,” and “personal drug use,” citing newly obtained forensic findings, digital communications and witness statements added to the case file.
Forensic findings
At the heart of the case are forensic results indicating that cocaine metabolites were detected in Saran’s hair samples.
Blood, urine and nail tests conducted earlier returned negative results, a discrepancy authorities say may reflect exposure over a longer time frame, as hair analysis can detect substance traces weeks or months after use.
Saran has categorically denied ever using narcotics.
In a statement shared on social media following his release, he said he had “never used the substance alleged in the test results,” insisting he had never even seen it up close.
He added that he had formally requested a repeat analysis through prosecutors and voluntarily underwent additional testing at a private laboratory in Istanbul.
“I am not perfect, but I have not committed a crime,” Saran said. “Wherever the state calls us, we go. We have nothing to hide.”
He also announced plans to file criminal complaints over what he described as defamatory content circulating online, accusing unnamed individuals of attempting to damage his reputation.
Fenerbahçe’s response
Fenerbahçe Sports Club confirmed shortly after the detention that Saran had been taken into custody from the club’s presidential offices.
In its statement, the club emphasized respect for judicial institutions and expressed confidence in the legal process.
“Our belief is unwavering that our president will overcome this period with composure and resilience,” the club said, adding that administrative and sporting operations would continue uninterrupted.
As uncertainty swirled, Fenerbahçe’s board convened an extraordinary meeting on Thursday.
Club officials said no administrative or governance decisions were taken, stressing that the meeting focused solely on evaluating the legal process and preparing responses to potential future scenarios depending on the course of the investigation.
Divan Council Chairman Şekip Mosturoğlu, board members, club lawyers and Saran’s legal team accompanied him throughout the judicial proceedings.
Several supporters and board members, including Ertan Torunoğulları, gathered at the Istanbul Courthouse to show solidarity.
The escalation
Saran, who assumed office in September 2025 after narrowly defeating Ali Koç at an extraordinary general assembly, had first been summoned earlier this month while abroad.
Upon returning to Türkiye, gendarmerie teams searched his residence in Istanbul’s Göktürk district and his farm in Çanakkale’s Assos region.
Authorities reported that no illegal substances were found during the searches.
He later appeared voluntarily before investigators and was referred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine, where blood, urine, nail and hair samples were collected.
While most tests were negative, the hair analysis reportedly tested positive for cocaine metabolites, prompting prosecutors to impose judicial control measures, including a travel ban initially.
The case intensified further with the inclusion of digital evidence and witness testimony involving television presenter Ela Rümeysa Cebeci, who was detained earlier in December and remains in custody.
Prosecutors are scrutinizing messages and voice recordings exchanged between Cebeci and Saran roughly 17 to 18 months ago, alleging they may contain coded references to narcotics.
Saran acknowledged the authenticity of the communications but said they were taken out of context, describing them as ironic jokes inspired by a film the pair had watched together.
He denied any connection to drug cultivation, distribution or facilitation.
Cebeci, in additional voluntary testimony, said she was speaking freely and without pressure.
She confirmed a past romantic relationship with Saran that ended in 2021 and later evolved into a friendship.
She denied selling drugs and said she had previously used THC, which she claimed she did not know was illegal in Türkiye due to its legality in some countries.
She denied using cocaine or synthetic drugs and requested renewed forensic testing.
Broader sweep
The case is part of a broader investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office targeting alleged narcotics use and distribution among public figures.
Since October, multiple operations have been carried out, with musicians, actors, influencers and business figures questioned or detained.
Several well-known names have been released after giving testimony and providing samples, while others remain under investigation or judicial control.