Turkey’s football federation has launched a sweeping investigation into betting irregularities, after revealing that 371 out of 571 referees in the country’s professional leagues held betting accounts. Of those, 152 were found to be actively placing wagers, the federation announced.
Federation President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu told a press conference: “We started by cleaning up our own backyard.” He detailed that among the implicated were “seven top-level referees, 15 top-level assistants,” as well as assistants and referees in lower divisions.
Evidence reportedly includes extreme betting activity: one referee placed 18,227 bets, while 42 others wagered on over 1,000 matches each.
The scandal has escalated swiftly, with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opening a formal criminal investigation into potential match-fixing, violations of sports law, and gambling offences. The investigative period spans five years.
Under Article 57 of the federation’s disciplinary code, violators face bans of three months to one year. FIFA and UEFA regulations also impose lifetime bans in severe cases of gambling by officials.
Key Turkish clubs responded forcefully. Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek called for full disclosure of all involved referees, saying: “We are ready to assume every responsibility for the construction of an order in which the dark spots of Turkish football are illuminated.”
The scandal marks one of the largest integrity crises in recent Turkish football history, raising significant concerns over the transparency and fairness of officiating at a professional level.
