Turkey match fixing: Football Federation clears clubs

The fixing scandal has provoked angry protests by Fenerbahce fans

Turkey's top football teams have been cleared of match-fixing by the country's football federation after a long-running investigation.

The federation said in a statement that "elements of the alleged disciplinary violation [had] not materialised" but gave no further details.

It also banned two players for trying to fix results last season.

And a separate criminal trial involving 93 football officials, players and coaches is still going on.

Analysts say the federation's decision may have an impact on the criminal trial because the organisation is advising prosecutors.

Some 22 league matches in the 2010-2011 season were said to have been targeted by match-fixers.

Last year's league champions Fenerbahce were among the teams cleared by the federation.

Fenerbahce were earlier banned from the European Champions League because of their involvement in the scandal, and club president Aziz Yildirim is one of the 93 defendants on trial.

The federation banned Turkish international Ibrahim Akin for three years for allegedly fixing the result of a game when his team, Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyesi, lost to Fenerbahce 2-0.

Serdar Kulbilge of Ankaragucu was handed a two-year ban for allegedly attempting to fix the result of a game that Fenerbahce won 4-2.

The federation also disciplined eight other officials and players.