Mourinho takes Turkey to court over Fenerbahce sanctions

Jose Mourinho has taken his case to Europe's top human rights court, alleging that his freedom of expression was violated during his tenure as manager of Turkish football club Fenerbahce. The lawsuit, filed in March 2025, targets disciplinary sanctions imposed by the Turkish Football Federation for "unsportsmanlike conduct."

The Portuguese coach faced sanctions, including a match ban and fines totaling approximately $21,000, for remarks made in November 2024 about rival supporters and Turkish referees. Court documents reveal Mourinho's complaint centers on Article 6 of the European Convention, asserting the dispute was not determined by an independent and impartial tribunal. He also cited Article 10, claiming his right to freedom of expression was infringed.

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the applicant complains that the dispute in question had not been determined by an independent and impartial tribunal

Mourinho managed Fenerbahce from June 2024, failing to end the club's title drought that began in 2014. He was dismissed 14 months later. The European Court of Human Rights has accepted his complaint and submitted questions to Turkish authorities. Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013 and has recently been coaching Portuguese club Benfica.

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right to freedom of expression was infringed by the sanctions imposed