Fenerbahce president arrested during drug investigation in Istanbul after testing positive for narcotics

The president of Fenerbahce, one of Turkey’s top sports clubs, was taken into custody in Istanbul on Wednesday as part of a widening drug investigation that has ensnared prominent entertainment and media figures, state media reported.

Sadettin Saran, who has dual Turkish and American nationality, was arrested just hours after forensic tests discovered traces of narcotics in his hair samples, state broadcaster TRT said.

He was called to testify for prosecutors last week and was sent to a forensic medical facility to provide hair and blood samples.

Since early December, more than a dozen people have been taken into custody as part of an investigation overseen by Istanbul’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

They include television presenters, journalists, singers, actors and social media personalities. They face charges ranging from drug production and trafficking to facilitating prostitution. Many have undergone blood and hair tests due to narcotic use.

Denver-born Saran, who was elected chairman of Fenerbahce in September, was questioned last week on suspicion of supplying and facilitating the use of narcotics.

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Earlier on Wednesday, Saran issued a statement rejecting the test result, insisting he had never taken the drug in question and vowing to formally request a re-examination.

Istanbul-based Fenerbahce is one of Turkey’s most popular and successful sports franchises. The club’s former president Aziz Yildirim spent more than a year in prison on match-fixing charges in 2012 before being acquitted when a retrial found the earlier case had been influenced by corrupt judges, prosecutors and police officers.

The club is also involved in a separate investigation into illegal betting and match fixing in Turkish football. Fenerbahce also has teams that practice basketball, volleyball, athletics and swimming, among others.

Published on December 24, 2025