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

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has enacted a suspension of 1,024 players from its professional leagues in connection with an ongoing investigation into betting activities.

The TFF announced that these players, including 27 from Turkey’s premier league, have been forwarded to the country’s Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) for further action.

In light of this situation, matches within the third and fourth divisions of Turkish football have been postponed for two weeks, while competitions in the top two divisions will proceed as scheduled.

The TFF has reached out to FIFA, requesting an additional 15 days beyond the winter transfer window to assist clubs in managing potential squad shortages. A response from FIFA is awaited.

Besiktas, one of Turkey’s leading football clubs, released a statement confirming that two of its players have been referred to the PFDK, expressing their unwavering trust in the players’ innocence.

In related developments, local media have reported that Turkish authorities have arrested eight individuals, including a club chairman, as part of the ongoing investigations.

The betting scandal first gained public attention on October 27, when TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu revealed that a significant number of referees were linked to betting accounts.

Haciosmanoglu stated that out of 571 referees officiating in Turkey’s professional leagues, 371 were found to have betting accounts, and 152 were actively engaged in placing bets. This group included seven referees and 15 assistant referees from the top two divisions, as well as 36 classified referees and 94 assistants from the divisions below.

He further indicated that 10 referees had placed over 10,000 bets, with one referee alone placing 18,227 bets. Additionally, it was reported that 142 referees participated in wagering on more than 1,000 matches, while some referees had only placed a single bet.

According to TFF regulations, as well as those of FIFA and UEFA, players, coaches, and match officials are strictly prohibited from engaging in betting activities.

Recently, Turkish prosecutors issued detention orders for 21 individuals, which included 17 referees and two football club presidents, as part of a comprehensive investigation aimed at tackling betting and match-fixing in the sport.