More Details Revealed about Turkish League Betting Scandal

Shocking details have emerged in what is being described as one of the biggest refereeing scandals in Turkish football history. 

Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President Ibrahim Hacıoğlu announced that official investigations revealed 371 referees had betting accounts, 152 of whom were actively involved in betting activities across various professional league competitions in Turkey.

The revelation came during a press conference held at the TFF headquarters in Istanbul, where Hacıoğlu confirmed that immediate disciplinary action had been launched against those implicated. 

He noted that the investigation was based on precise data obtained from Turkish government institutions.

“We have decided to start cleaning our house from within,” said Hacıoğlu.

“Referees are the eyes of football, but lately they have also been a source of pain. The data shows that 371 referees held betting accounts, and 152 of them actively participated in betting, including 7 top-tier referees and 15 assistant referees from the upper division.”

He described some of the cases as shocking, revealing that one referee had placed over 18,000 bets, while 42 referees each wagered on more than 1,000 matches. Others made only limited bets.

The TFF president confirmed that the disciplinary committee would immediately begin legal proceedings in accordance with sports regulations, which stipulate suspensions ranging from three months to one year for any referee found guilty of betting. 

The identified cases cover the past five years, based on Turkey’s Sports Law No. 6222.

The announcement triggered strong reactions across the Turkish Super League clubs, all of which expressed full support for the investigation and called for complete transparency in revealing the results.

In a statement, the Turkish Professional Clubs Association said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the revelation that 371 referees have betting accounts. We consider this a vital step toward restoring trust in Turkish football and urge the immediate launch of disciplinary proceedings while respecting the presumption of innocence.”

Besiktas called for the publication of the names of the referees involved and the matches they officiated, stating: “This case marks a historic turning point for Turkish football. We demand full disclosure of all details to the public in the name of transparency and fairness. We will follow this case to the very end.”

Fenerbahce also reacted strongly, saying that the issue “affects the entire football system, not just the referees.” The club called for all names and affected matches to be revealed, adding that it would “closely monitor the case to help restore trust in fair competition.”

Fenerbahce President Sadettin Saran said: “What happened is shocking but also a source of hope. We thank the federation for its courage in revealing these facts, and we affirm that we will be part of the reform process until the end.”

Meanwhile, Galatasaray President Dursun Ozbek described the case as “a severe blow to the ethics of Turkish sports,” saying: “For referees to hold and use betting accounts is something that threatens the very foundations of fairness in the game. We fully support the federation and call for full disclosure of names and matches to the public. Galatasaray will be at the forefront of efforts to ensure the integrity of Turkish football.”