Speaking at the Sportist 2006 Fair, Beşiktaş President Yıldırım Demirören stated that the essence of sportsmanship and fair play should not be exchanged for money. He said, ‘Sports is friendship and brotherhood. We have to fight against the idea of winning is everything’.

The Sportist 2006, the sports summit and fair organized at Lütfi Kırdar Convention and Exhibition Center was participated by the Beşiktaş President Yıldırım Demirören together with the members of Beşiktaş’s Management Committee. During the fair which was also attended  by the State Minister and Assistant Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Şahin, the Governor of Istanbul Muammer Güler and the Mayor of  Istanbul Kadir Topbaş, President Yıldırım Demirören  pointed out that money should never replace the soul of fair play and sportsmanship. Mentioning that the clubs may earn money and raise income but must not disregard their own traditions our President Demirören continued his words, ‘If you say that you are the only greatest and there is no one like, you will turn everybody against you. We have to raise the quality of losing as well. We have to face the losing with maturity. A team which has been chasing the championship whole year around if loses it during the last game is usually considered as a bad team. Losing is a partner of winning. When you lose you have to shake the hands of the winner. You should not blame the federation, your manager, or the opposing team. At the Super Cup Final our losing competitor waited for the ceremony and congratulated us. These are very nice things.’