Abstract This study examines the restructuring of dispute resolution mechanisms in Turkish football law following the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgment in Ali Rıza and Others v. Türkiye (2020). In this decision, the Court found that the Arbitration Board of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) did not meet the criteria of structural independence and impartiality. Accordingly, the study analyzes the amendments made to Law No. 5894 on the Establishment and Duties of the Turkish Football Federation in light of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to a fair trial) and evaluates their compliance with international human rights standards. In addition to this normative analysis, the study also addresses recent developments such as the criminal complaint filed by several referees against the President of the Central Referees Committee (MHK). This case is evaluated as one of the practical reflections of the structural deficiencies identified by the ECtHR. Furthermore, by drawing a comparative perspective with the Mutu & Pechstein v. Switzerland case, the study discusses international standards of independence, transparency, and procedural safeguards in sports arbitration. The findings reveal that although the 2022 legislative and statutory amendments represent significant steps toward compliance with ECtHR criteria, they remain insufficient to ensure full functional independence and transparency in practice. The study concludes that additional reforms — such as external oversight mechanisms, independent appointment procedures, and explicit procedural guarantees — are necessary for the establishment of a genuinely fair and autonomous sports judiciary in Türkiye. Keywords: Sports Law, Arbitration, TFF, ECtHR, CAS, Independence, Fair Trial, Referee Complaint, Human Rights, Structural Reform.
Fikret ERKAN (Sat,) studied this question.