Turkey’s football federation has announced it will launch disciplinary proceedings after a five-year investigation revealed that hundreds of professional match officials held betting accounts.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said that out of 571 match officials examined, 371 had betting accounts and 152 were actively gambling. While some placed only a single bet, 42 had wagered on more than 1,000 football matches, and one official was found to have made 18,227 bets.
Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul, TFF president Ibrahim Ethem Haciosmanoglu did not name any individuals but confirmed that the list included seven referees and 15 assistant referees from Turkey’s top two divisions, as well as 36 classified referees and 94 assistants from the level below.
“If we want to bring Turkish football to the place it deserves, we have to clean up whatever dirt there is,” Haciosmanoglu said. He added that those responsible would be referred to the TFF’s disciplinary board and face the necessary penalties.
Under TFF regulations, referees are forbidden from participating in betting activities, a rule also set out by Fifa and Uefa. Offenders could face up to a one-year ban under TFF rules, while Fifa’s Code of Ethics allows for a fine of up to 100,000 Swiss francs (£94,246) and a ban of up to three years from all football-related activities.
Some of Turkey’s leading clubs reacted swiftly. Besiktas described the findings as “a new beginning for clean football,” while Trabzonspor called it “an historic opportunity to rebuild justice in Turkish football.” Fenerbahce president Sadettin Saran said the revelations were “both shocking and deeply saddening for Turkish football,” but added that “the fact that it is coming to light is a hopeful development.”
The scandal has shaken confidence in the sport and revived concerns about the integrity of refereeing in Turkey, a topic that has long drawn controversy and even led to incidents of violence against officials.
Among those identified are seven elite referees qualified to officiate in the Super Lig, Turkey’s top division. Prosecutors confirmed that a formal investigation into the allegations began in April.
Many questions remain unanswered, including whether referees placed bets on matches they officiated, or if any were aware of each other’s involvement.
Some commentators have called for league matches to be suspended until the investigation is complete, arguing that innocent referees are now unfairly under suspicion. Others say the scandal should renew calls for foreign referees to be brought in, an idea that has surfaced repeatedly in recent years.
Despite the unfolding crisis, the football calendar continues, with two matches scheduled for Monday night and the league set to proceed as planned.
What is clear is that Turkish refereeing will never be viewed the same way again, and trust in the country’s football system has been deeply shaken.
