Turkish Football Federation Suspends Over 1,000 Players Amid Betting Investigation

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has announced the suspension of 1,024 players from its professional leagues as part of a comprehensive investigation into illegal betting activities.

According to the TFF, players suspected of engaging in football betting, including 27 from the top-tier league, have been referred to the country’s Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK).

As a consequence of this investigation, matches in the third and fourth divisions of Turkish football have been postponed for two weeks; however, games in the top two divisions will continue as scheduled.

In light of the situation, the TFF has requested an additional 15 days from FIFA beyond the winter transfer window to allow clubs to manage player shortages. FIFA has yet to comment on this request.

Besiktas, one of Turkey’s prominent football clubs, stated that two of their players have been referred to the PFDK and expressed complete confidence in their innocence.

Similarly, Super Lig champions Galatasaray reported that two of their players are involved and assured that the club would closely monitor the ongoing proceedings.

Local media have also indicated that Turkish authorities have arrested eight individuals, including a club chairman, in connection with the investigation.

The scandal first emerged on October 27, when TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu revealed that hundreds of referees were linked to betting accounts. He stated that out of 571 referees working in Turkey’s professional leagues, 371 possessed betting accounts, and 152 were found to be actively placing wagers.

This group includes seven referees and 15 assistant referees from the top divisions, alongside 36 classified referees and 94 assistants from the divisions below. Haciosmanoglu noted that ten referees each placed over 10,000 bets, with one referee reportedly placing 18,227 bets, while 142 referees wagered on more than 1,000 matches. Some referees, however, placed only a single bet.

As per TFF regulations, and those set by FIFA and UEFA, match officials, including players and coaches, are prohibited from participating in any betting activities.

In a broader crackdown, Turkish prosecutors have recently issued detention orders for 21 individuals, which includes 17 referees and two football club presidents, as part of an extensive investigation into betting and match-fixing.