Menaf Kıyanç Re-Elected President at Muğlaspor

At Muğlaspor Club's Ordinary General Assembly, the current president Menaf Kıyanç, running as the sole candidate, was re-elected president. Emphasizing unity, financial discipline, and permanent revenue at the congress, Kıyanç said, “Muğlaspor is not just a football team, but a great project that brings this city together. This year we will unite more, be more in solidarity. Believe me, we will succeed.”

The Ordinary General Assembly Meeting of Muğlaspor Club took place at the Menteşe Municipality Konakaltı İskender Alper Cultural Center.

The general assembly was attended by AK Party Muğla Deputy Kadem Mete, Muğla Metropolitan Mayor, Menteşe Mayor Gonca Köksal Aras, institution directors, political party representatives, civil society organization representatives, club members, and supporter groups.

The general assembly, conducted according to the agenda, began with opening and roll call. Afterward, a moment of silence was observed and the National Anthem was sung. During the meeting, the congress council was formed, and activity and financial reports of the management and supervisory boards were presented to the general assembly members.

After the reports were read, the discharge of the management and supervisory boards was put to the members' vote. At the general assembly, Muğlaspor Club Press Spokesman Barış Yayman also made a farewell speech and announced that he waived his receivables.

In the election with a single candidate, the current president Menaf Kıyanç was re-elected as Muğlaspor Club President.

“We have completed three years, now we are here for the fourth year”

Speaking at the general assembly, Muğlaspor President Menaf Kıyanç began by thanking the Muğlaspor community.

Kıyanç said, “Dear Muğlaspor enthusiasts, Muğlaspor supporters and everyone who truly loves Muğla, I greet you with love and respect. We have completed three years. God willing, if Allah permits, we are here for the fourth year.”

He stated the past period was not easy, especially mentioning that they experienced a challenging process recently.

Kıyanç emphasized that while sporting success is important, financial discipline is equally valuable for the club's future.

“Championships are valuable but financial discipline is the most important”

Recalling that Muğlaspor achieved great sporting successes in the last three years, Kıyanç drew attention to the fact that many clubs have rapidly dropped to lower leagues due to financial problems.

President Kıyanç explained, “Of course, sporting achievements are very valuable. But we have been stressing the importance of financial discipline for three years. Today, many clubs in Turkey drop quickly from upper leagues because of losing financial discipline. Clubs that had access to significant resources while in the Super League or upper leagues struggle to stay afloat once their income decreases after relegation.”

He said Muğlaspor operated with important financial discipline on the way to the championship and stated, “Championships are very valuable, but I want to say the most important factor behind this championship is financial discipline. We spent approximately 170 million lira. Including championship premiums and some payments, there is an additional payment of about 29 million lira. So, this championship was achieved with a cost under 200 million lira. Today, there are teams in Turkey that spend 400, 500, or 600 million lira and can’t become champions.”

“The reason I said I'm not a candidate was for this city's ownership”

Addressing his earlier remarks before the congress about not being a candidate, Menaf Kıyanç stated that he did not want his stance to be misunderstood and said, “I sincerely said this year about candidacy: 'I’m 99% not a candidate, 1% I might be.' Unfortunately, sometimes in our country, 1% is seen bigger than 99%. Some said, 'He is bluffing, he will be a candidate.' But I said it deliberately because if the club depends on individuals, the structure lasts one more year, then it goes back again.”

Kıyanç emphasized that Muğlaspor needs to be more strongly embraced by the city and stated, “I have tried to explain that this city needs to own this team. That’s why I did not even calculate my receivables. I felt the need to donate all my receivables. I did this to be more convincing.”

Kıyanç stressed that the club should not be handed over to personal or commercial accounts, saying, “If after me, someone who wants to use this club for their commercial interests or to improve their status comes because of my receivables, it has been said I would have paved the way for them. I said if this city is willing to take this risk, I have nothing to do. That should also be a risk to take.”

“Seeing today’s participation, I see that we have achieved something”

Expressing satisfaction with the interest shown at the general assembly, Kıyanç said, “Especially after seeing today’s participation, I see that we have actually achieved something. We started the season with the motto of goal unity. At the Urfa match we played at home and the final match in Bursa, we saw that we were all together as Muğla. Seeing that we achieved this goal made me incredibly happy.”

Kıyanç stated Muğlaspor needs permanent revenue sources and said the club is a common value not only of the administrations but of the entire city.

Kıyanç said, “This team needs permanent income. It needs managers who live in this city and feel responsible to it. We largely succeeded in this. When the new management is announced a little later, you will see this too. If we can’t unite and protect the common values of our city, they will disappear.”

“Muğlaspor is not just a football team”

Menaf Kıyanç emphasized that Muğlaspor is not only a football team competing on the field but an important value that unites the city.

Kıyanç said, “Muğlaspor is not just a game played here and there, where one team wins and the other loses. In fact, it is a big project that brings the city together. When we started, we set out with the slogan ‘we will succeed together.’ When we succeed together, it has meaning.”

He also mentioned the final match held in Bursa: “Thousands of people got up at six in the morning from this city, traveled nine hours, watched three hours of the match, and returned home after nine hours. In a place like Muğla, this is not something often seen. It means if we want, it happens.”

“Everyone put their hand under the stone for this city's common values”

Kıyanç stated that different segments of the city contributed to Muğlaspor’s success and thanked, especially Muğla’s governor, deputies, mayors, political party representatives, chamber presidents, and institutional representatives.

Kıyanç said, “During this process, starting with our Governor, Deputy Kadem, other deputies, Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras, political party provincial heads, our trade chamber president and chamber presidents sincerely did their best. Muğlaspor is the team of our province. This club, which carries the name Muğla and constitutes Muğla’s common value, everyone did their best for it.”

He noted that the unity shown is not an easy sight in Turkey and said, “In Turkey, opposition, government and bureaucracy rarely come together to struggle for this city’s common value. There was an incredible sacrifice here. I thank all of them very much.”

“It's time to unite in this city”

Menaf Kıyanç said that the culture of unity in Muğla should be strengthened further and emphasized the importance of putting political differences aside when common values are concerned.

Kıyanç stated, “Muğla is the most beautiful city in Turkey. Muğlaspor is a very important value of this city. Owning it is incredibly important. It’s time to unite in this city. There is no point in questioning or blaming people doing good things for this city differently anymore. If your intention is good, and if it is to own this city and its common values, everyone should do what they want.”

He also thanked Menteşe Mayor Gonca Köksal Aras and expressed his satisfaction with the support given to the management process.

Kıyanç said, “Even if at the last moment, I thank Ms. Gonca very much for including Mehmet Tahça, the deputy mayor, in the management. Now is the time to be together.”

“I wanted to leave, but this love doesn't let me”

Kıyanç described the duty period as exhausting but said the love of supporters and city people means a lot to him.

He said, “I was really very tired. I should have left. Because I have a job, a family, everyone has their own order. But you reach such a point that you cannot leave. The sincere love and thanks from people you meet on the street are invaluable.”

Thanking everyone who provided financial and moral support to Muğlaspor, Kıyanç said, “I call everyone living in Muğla, whether local or not, whether local company or national company: Come, own the common values of this city. Join these administrations, be a club president, be involved in civil society organizations. If you act sincerely and beyond personal accounts, the value you receive from society is indescribable. I have received this.”

Regarding his financial and moral support to Muğlaspor, Kıyanç said, “I declare my rights forgiven to everyone for everything I have done so far. Because I have more than fully received the spiritual value of it. God bless everyone.”

“We need to work intensively for the youth academy”

Highlighting the importance of the youth academy for Muğlaspor’s future, Kıyanç said that investment in the city’s children is necessary for the club to be permanent in the upper leagues.

Kıyanç said, “We need to go beyond unity and realize the dreams of the children of this city. Muğlaspor is at an important level today, but this club must be permanent in the upper leagues. For that, we need to work intensively regarding the youth academy.”

He noted the impact of sports on children: “Sports not only keep children away from bad habits but also teach them national consciousness, to fight together, to help a friend who has fallen, to celebrate a goal together, and to be sad together when a goal is conceded. Therefore, sports have huge significance.”

“The final in Bursa was a reflection of this city’s belief”

Sharing his feelings about the final match played in Bursa, Kıyanç said that the match was an unforgettable story for the city.

Kıyanç said, “When you looked at everyone’s face during the match in Bursa, you saw that belief. While everyone thought Elazığspor would become champions, the effort of those involved paid off. If you write the story correctly, are sincere, and do this work honestly, God will give you your due.”

Describing the emotional moments during the match, Kıyanç said, “It isn’t easy to explain those moments. When everyone said ‘this is over,’ seeing our players’ feet, seeing the ball hit the net is inexplicable. Let everyone remember this. We are very impatient, we try different ways sometimes, but we forget God’s will. If you deserve it, God will give you your right.”

“This year we will unite more”

At the end of his speech, Menaf Kıyanç gave a message of unity to the Muğlaspor community, saying they will bond more in the new term.

Menaf Kıyanç Announced His Candidacy to Muğlaspor Club

Kıyanç said, “This year we will unite more. We will be more united. Believe me, we will succeed. I don’t know what exactly we will achieve, but we will succeed. Our concern is not only success. We will live what we deserve. After continuing with this unity here, whatever the outcome, it is God’s decree.”

Kıyanç thanked everyone who supported him and added, “I thank you all again. God will give us what we deserve. We will continue to do our best.”

Muğla Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras, in his speech at the Muğlaspor Congress, wished success to the new administration and said the club’s achievement was the result of an important unity.

“Today, a new management is being elected. Each election carries excitement. But here there is such a success story that Muğlaspor is going to the election with a single candidate and a strong management team. If we contributed to this success, even a little, we are very happy. I congratulate everyone who contributed one by one.”

Aras also thanked the managers whose terms ended and said, “The current management we worked with had a very successful season. Our friends who are leaving the management today also put in great effort and worked devotedly. Let’s applaud them together and express our gratitude.”

Emphasizing that Muğlaspor has achieved important successes despite limited opportunities, Aras said, “Everyone should contribute to this club. Opponents often become champions with almost double the budget. Every penny given to Muğlaspor is rightful because every investment is made for Muğlaspor and Muğla. Everything is for Muğlaspor.”

New management elected

Following the wishes and requests section at the general assembly, the election of the principal and substitute members of Muğlaspor's new management and supervisory boards for the new term was held.

The new management team of the current president Menaf Kıyanç, who ran as the sole candidate, consisted of the following members:

“F. Caner Torunoğulları, İhsan Çakar, Mehtap Şeniz Cahan, Serhat Saran, Hüseyin Aykal, İdris Akgül, Turgay Özlü, Mehmet Akbalık, İbrahim Güngör, Yiğit Uslu, Mehmet Tahça, Muslih Barış Aksen, Şenol Çiçek, Mesut Fıratoğlu, Durmuş Ali Öztürk, Abdullah Eskihisarlı, Nacide Bülbül, Süleyman Çulha, Özcan Saygın, Yaşar Barış Öksüztepe, Özge Demirel, Yılmaz Bozkır, Taner Parlak, Baran Kaçar, Serhat Turan and Kemal Kaban.”

Reporter: Mukaddes Yelin