Bülent free to play at last

Bülent Akin will be free to play for Bolton Wanderers FC after Galatasaray SK were ordered to release vital paperwork that has kept the midfield player sidelined since July.

International clearance
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) told the reigning 1. lig champions to give Bülent international clearance to sign for English Premiership side Bolton after they set up an arbitration committee to mediate between the two clubs and avoid having to take action through FIFA. "We were not directly involved," confirmed a FIFA spokesman. "It was up to the clubs to sort it out. The TFF has ruled that the player is free to go to Bolton."

Contract claims
Galatasaray were outraged when the left-sided midfield player elected to miss out on UEFA Champions League football this season by moving to England, and claimed he was still under contract in Turkey and therefore not free to move to Bolton on a free transfer.

Belgian experience
Bülent has dual Belgian/Turkish nationality and gained most of his footballing experience in Belgium, having come through the RSC Anderlecht youth system. After playing for Gençlerbirligi SK, he joined Denizlispor in 1999 and went on to make 30 appearances in his first season in Turkish football. A move to Galatasaray SK followed in 2000 and he quickly made his mark, notably in the Champions League, where he scored one goal in nine appearances.