Besiktas boardroom turmoil as vice-president denies ‘resignation’ after Mohamed Salah row

Besiktas have been plunged into fresh internal chaos after the Turkish club formally announced the resignation of board member Faisal Ahmet Caglar – only for him to publicly deny stepping down and threaten legal action within minutes.

In a statement released through the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP), Besiktas Futbol Yatirimlari Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. said: “Mr Faisal Ahmet Caglar, a member of our company’s Board of Directors, has resigned from his position as a member of the Board of Directors as of 23 July 2026.”

The announcement intensified speculation around Caglar, who in recent days has been at the centre of a storm over a social media post on the club’s official accounts involving Egypt star Mohamed Salah.

According to Turkish media reports, the club’s hierarchy viewed that post as unprofessional and believed it had inadvertently strengthened the financial demands of Salah’s agent in talks. The episode led to fierce criticism of Caglar and pushed him into the spotlight both domestically and internationally.

Caglar disputes club statement

The apparent resolution offered by Tuesday’s statement lasted only moments. Caglar responded swiftly, rejecting the claim that he had resigned and insisting the club’s disclosure was incorrect.

He is reported to have “categorically” denied submitting any resignation and to have stressed that the information published in his name was not true. Caglar also made clear that he intends to pursue “all necessary legal steps” to protect what he described as his rights in the matter.

His reaction has turned what initially looked like an internal board reshuffle into a very public confrontation between a senior figure and the club’s corporate structure.

Supporters split as dispute spills into open

The saga has left Besiktas supporters – the club is widely known as the “Black and Whites” – divided and uncertain over who is actually telling the truth.

On one side is an official KAP filing, carrying the full weight of a public declaration by Besiktas’ listed investment company, stating that a powerful member of the board has left his role with immediate effect. On the other is Caglar’s unequivocal rejection of that version of events and his vow to contest it through the courts if necessary.

The conflicting narratives have fuelled intense debate among fans and pundits, with the issue now seen as a test of governance and transparency at one of Turkey’s most prominent clubs.

What began as controversy over a social media post about Mohamed Salah has evolved into an open institutional dispute that could ultimately be settled not in the boardroom but in the courtroom, as Besiktas brace for a legal battle involving one of their most influential directors.