Turkish-American businessman and Fenerbahçe Sports Club president Sadettin Saran was detained on Wednesday (24 December) on allegations of “facilitating and supplying the use of narcotic substances.” Mr Saran, who has argued that his detention was politically motivated, was later released under judicial control.

Mr Saran, who was elected Fenerbahçe’s president in September, was taken into custody as part of a broader narcotics investigation that has seen a number of high-profile journalists, broadcasters and other celebrities detained or arrested. A prominent public figure in Turkey, he heads one of the country’s most popular football clubs and is also a media and sports executive with extensive business interests. His detention comes amid a widening probe by Istanbul prosecutors that has drawn intense public and political scrutiny.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that tests conducted as part of the investigation showed Mr Saran’s hair sample had returned a positive result for narcotics, while blood, urine and nail samples tested negative. DHA News Agency reported that cocaine was detected in the hair analysis and that the findings were forwarded to prosecutors.

Mr Saran rejected the results, describing the case as a “smear campaign.” He said he had never used cocaine and announced that he would undergo further testing at internationally accredited independent laboratories, with the results to be made public. Released under judicial control following his statement at Istanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse, Mr Saran is required to report to a police station twice a week.

Prosecutors have also sought statements from several figures previously involved in........

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