Eight high-ranking officials in Turkish football have been arrested as part of a major investigation into alleged betting on football matches. The top-tier club chairman, Murat Özkaya from Eyupspor, was among those taken into custody by authorities on Monday.
As the probe unfolds, 1,024 players across all leagues have been suspended pending disciplinary investigations, including 27 high-profile players from the Turkish Super Lig. Champions Galatasaray and Istanbul rivals Besiktas are among the teams affected by these suspensions.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has revealed that it sent the players to the Professional Football Disciplinary Council for further investigation. The organization is working to rectify a situation described as a "moral crisis" in Turkish football, which has been plagued by widespread corruption and betting on matches.
FIFA has been asked to provide a 15-day transfer window at the national level to allow clubs to complete their rosters after suspensions were imposed on so many players. Local media reports indicate that meetings are being held behind closed doors as the Federation navigates this critical juncture.
An investigation by the TFF found that nearly half of Turkey's referees had betting accounts, with 152 officials actively placing bets. One referee, in particular, made over 18,000 wagers during the course of a single year. These findings have underscored the gravity of the crisis and highlighted the need for reform within Turkish football.
The Turkish Football Federation is set to convene an emergency meeting on Tuesday to address these issues further.
As the probe unfolds, 1,024 players across all leagues have been suspended pending disciplinary investigations, including 27 high-profile players from the Turkish Super Lig. Champions Galatasaray and Istanbul rivals Besiktas are among the teams affected by these suspensions.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has revealed that it sent the players to the Professional Football Disciplinary Council for further investigation. The organization is working to rectify a situation described as a "moral crisis" in Turkish football, which has been plagued by widespread corruption and betting on matches.
FIFA has been asked to provide a 15-day transfer window at the national level to allow clubs to complete their rosters after suspensions were imposed on so many players. Local media reports indicate that meetings are being held behind closed doors as the Federation navigates this critical juncture.
An investigation by the TFF found that nearly half of Turkey's referees had betting accounts, with 152 officials actively placing bets. One referee, in particular, made over 18,000 wagers during the course of a single year. These findings have underscored the gravity of the crisis and highlighted the need for reform within Turkish football.
The Turkish Football Federation is set to convene an emergency meeting on Tuesday to address these issues further.
like what's going on in turkish football? first i thought it was just a normal scandal but now its all over the place. FIFA gotta step in and help out here, 15 day transfer window or whatever thats needed to get these teams back on track...and whats with all these referees betting on matches? that's like the worst thing ever 
. turkish football federation need to get their act together ASAP, its not good for anyone involved 
This whole situation in Turkish football is super concerning, you know? It's like, corruption and betting scandals are just so common now. I mean, 27 high-profile players suspended already, and it's only Monday 
. And get this - nearly half of the referees had betting accounts! Like, that's a massive problem right there 
. I mean, it should be a no-brainer - corruption and betting on matches is a huge deal! You'd think they'd take action sooner rather than later. But I guess we'll just have to wait and see what comes out of that emergency meeting on Tuesday 
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. We need to get rid of the corruption and ensure that the game is being played fairly and honestly. Anything less would be a betrayal of the fans' trust 
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i feel bad for the fans who r stuck in this mess... and what really gets me is that nearly half of the referees had betting accounts lmao like how did we even miss those?? 
I mean, 27 high-profile players from the Turkish Super Lig suspended? That's a huge blow to the sport, but at the same time, it's about time someone took action against all this corruption 
The fact that nearly half of Turkey's referees had betting accounts is just wild 
It seems like they're just reacting to these issues rather than taking proactive steps to prevent them from happening in the first place 
btw did you see that article on fifa giving them a 15 day transfer window? seems like they're trying to help the federation clean up their act 
. I mean, betting on matches? It's like, so not right. And it affects the integrity of the game, you know? It's like a big ol' mess 
. 18,000 wagers in one year? What a way to make a living... I guess not 
. It's like, what's next? Are clubs just gonna start paying their players to throw games? 
That'd be a whole 'nother can of worms 
. I hope the Turkish Football Federation gets its act together soon and makes some serious changes 
. This is one situation that definitely needs some attention 
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i feel for the players and the fans who are getting affected by this mess. but at least they're taking action now 
... like who can't see that? Anyway, I'm curious to see what happens next with all these suspensions and stuff. Is 15-day transfer window really needed? 
. gotta wonder how much money was being made off these rigged matches 
. And what really gets me is that 152 referees had betting accounts... like, how many people does one need to make bets for you to know something's fishy? 
i hope the federation gets its act together soon! 
seriously though, 18k wagers by one referee? that's some crazy stuff. and with almost half of the referees having betting accounts, you can imagine how widespread this corruption must be. 
FIFA stepping in to help out is good but its also kinda late, shouldn't Turkish football have been on top of this ages ago? 
️. It's about time someone took responsibility for this mess 
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, maybe they can help them get their act together 