Turkish Football Scandal: Referees and Club Officials Arrested Over Betting Allegations

Turkish prosecutors have arrested 18 referees, assistants, and a club chairman over alleged betting on top-tier football matches. The probe follows a TFF investigation that suspended 149 officials for betting. Authorities found 371 of 571 referees had betting accounts, with 152 placing bets. TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu called it a “moral crisis,” while club figures Murat Ozkaya and Fatih Sarac are also under investigation.

Several referees, assistant referees, and the chairman of an unnamed Super Lig club have had arrest warrants issued against them by Turkish prosecutors following an extensive investigation into allegations of betting on high-level football matches. The scandal has sent shockwaves through Turkey’s football community, raising questions about integrity and accountability within the sport.

According to the state-owned Anadolu news agency, at least 18 of the 21 suspects have already been detained in coordinated early morning raids across multiple locations. The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office stated that the 17 referees, who were arrested in Istanbul and 11 other provinces, are being investigated for a range of possible offenses, including the serious charge of “influencing the outcome of a match.”

This latest round of arrests follows closely on the heels of a major disciplinary action by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), which just a week earlier suspended 149 referees and assistant referees. That suspension came after an internal investigation uncovered widespread betting among officials responsible for overseeing professional football matches. The revelation caused public outrage and prompted calls for systemic reform within the Turkish football structure.

TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football,” emphasizing that the integrity of the sport had been deeply compromised. In response to the allegations, the referees released a joint statement on Wednesday, condemning what they termed “outrageous accusations.” They firmly denied betting on any matches they officiated and claimed that, in some cases, their betting activity had taken place years earlier when they were still amateur referees, not yet part of the professional leagues.

On Friday, Istanbul’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office issued a formal statement confirming that the arrests were made on grounds of abuse of duty and manipulation of match results. The statement underscored the seriousness of the investigation and hinted at the possibility of further arrests as inquiries continue.

Several local media outlets, including the respected Cumhuriyet newspaper, reported that Murat Ozkaya, president of the Super Lig club Eyupspor, and Fatih Sarac, former owner of Kasimpasa, were also being questioned as part of the ongoing probe. Their involvement suggests that the betting scandal may extend beyond match officials to include individuals in club management. Meanwhile, one person has reportedly been targeted for arrest over the alleged dissemination of misleading information about the investigation on social media.

The roots of the scandal appear to go back several months. Last week, TFF President Haciosmanoglu announced that a government agency had uncovered evidence of extensive illegal betting activity tied to top-level football across the country. According to the findings, 371 of Turkey’s 571 active referees were found to have betting accounts, with 152 of them allegedly placing bets on football matches. Alarmingly, 22 of these officials were actively officiating in the top division at the time.

The scope of betting activity was staggering. One referee allegedly placed bets 18,227 times, while 42 others were found to have placed wagers on more than 1,000 matches each. Such numbers have fueled concerns about the depth of corruption and the possible influence of organized betting networks within Turkish football.

In an attempt to restore public confidence, the TFF’s disciplinary board conducted its own independent inquiry, resulting in the suspension of 149 officials. Penalties ranged from eight to twelve months of suspension for involvement in betting activity. The federation has vowed to continue cooperating with law enforcement to ensure that those responsible for undermining the credibility of Turkish football face full legal consequences.

The scandal represents one of the most significant integrity crises in Turkish sporting history and has sparked a broader debate about ethics, oversight, and the need for reform within the country’s football administration.