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Turkey to launch title play-off

The decision was announced after a meeting on Tuesday between the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and the chairmen of the first division clubs.

"A play-off system will be in effect in the 2011/12 season. We will try this. We hope it will be lasting," TFF chairman Mehmet Ali Aydinlar told reporters after the meeting.

"It may be dropped in future years but we believe that this will liven things up. We think clubs will earn more money. We want to make football more attractive," Aydinlar said.

The federation has postponed the start of the Turkish season by a month until September 9 so its ethics committee can investigate match-fixing allegations involving some of the country's top clubs.

In the meantime last season's results stand, with Fenerbahce confirmed as champions and they will take part in the lucrative Champions League competition.

Chairman Aydinlar said after Tuesday's meeting that the federation had proposed the play-off system to the clubs, which had welcomed it, although Galatasaray had some reservations.

"We expect this system to bring a fresh breath of air to our football," he said.