Purportedly Borusan had agreed in principle to give Çetinkaya 100,000 euros and the right to use two MINI Cooper Countryman ALL4's in 2012 but three months later began to host a TV program on automobiles on Kanal24 along with Merve Sena Kılıç, a headscarf-wearing woman. On the show Çetinkaya even test drove the MINI Cooper and assessed the automobile's performance with Kılıç. Todays Zaman article claimsm -
Çetinkaya received a warning from Borusan Holding MINI Brand Manager Hakan Bayülgen after her photos with Kılıç were printed in the Hürriyet's supplement.
“We have seen your photos in the press with the MINI and a woman wearing a headscarf. This has created an image problem for us. Abroad [referring to BMW general headquarters] does not want this,” Bayülgen told Çetinkaya. He also told the woman that his company is disturbed by Çetinkaya's “religious” image.
Several days after this warning, Borusan cancelled the sponsorship deal with Çetinkaya, citing economic problems.
