A Turkish court has jailed 20 suspects, including Super Lig footballers, as the country’s widening investigation into insider betting continues to reshape its professional game. The detentions come after prosecutors last week ordered the arrest of 46 individuals, a group that included players, club presidents, commentators and a referee.
State agency Anadolu reported that Galatasaray defender Metehan Baltaci and Fenerbahce midfielder Mert Hakan Yandas, along with former Adana Demirspor president Murat Sancak, were among those formally arrested and placed in pre trial detention.
According to Anadolu, Baltaci told the court he had placed bets on several matches during his time as a youth team player, but insisted he stopped once he joined Galatasaray’s senior squad. Yandas, cited by Sabah newspaper, denied any involvement in match related gambling. Cumhuriyet reported that Sancak said he did not hold a gambling account and had never placed a bet on a match.
Representatives for the two players and the former club president have not yet commented.
The latest arrests follow a dramatic escalation in Turkish football’s integrity crisis. Last month, the Turkish Football Federation suspended 149 referees and assistants after an internal investigation discovered extensive betting activity among officials in the professional leagues. The probe intensified with the subsequent arrest of eight individuals, including a top flight club chairman, and the suspension of 1,024 players across all divisions, each receiving bans from the TFF.
