The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) took action on Friday by suspending 149 referees who were implicated in betting on matches. According to the TFF, its disciplinary committee imposed suspensions ranging from eight to 12 months, with ongoing investigations into three additional referees.
Following an inquiry by the federation into 571 referees across Turkish professional leagues, it was discovered that 371 referees had sports betting accounts, with 152 actively engaging in betting.
TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu emphasized the importance of maintaining honour within the profession of refereeing, stating that those who compromise this integrity will no longer be part of Turkish football.
Among the affected officials, 22 individuals, including seven match referees and 15 assistants, are affiliated with the top league. Notably, some referees placed a significant number of bets, with ten referees making over 10,000 bets, and one individual alone placing 18,227 bets. Additionally, 42 referees bet on more than 1,000 football matches, as disclosed by the head of Turkish football.
While details were provided on the extensive betting activities, it was not specified whether any referees were suspected of betting on matches they were responsible for officiating. Concurrently, an investigation by the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office has been initiated.