Corrupted system!: Turkish Football Federation suspends referees involved in betting scandal

Turkish FF suspends 147 referees for alleged betting involvements. (Image credits - Heute, License Details)

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has taken action to suspend 149 referees and assistant referees after discovering that they were allegedly implicated in a wide betting scandal linked to professional football leagues in the country.

In a statement released on Friday, the federation confirmed that disciplinary sanctions ranging between eight and twelve months had been imposed on the officials, while investigations will continue into three others.

TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu severely denounced the actions of those involved, emphasizing that such acts undermine the integrity of Turkish football. "The reputation of Turkish football is based upon the purity of effort on the pitch and the unshakable fairness of justice. Any act that violates these principles is not only against the rules but also a betrayal of trust." (sic)

"Corrupted Referees": The story behind the scenes

Hacıosmanoğlu said shocking details emerged during the federation's probe-the referees had placed bets on several thousand matches. "Our investigation has found that some referees have bet in a manner wholly incompatible with the spirit of the game," he said. "What we have here is not an ordinary rules breach, but an ethical failure-one that destroys trust and corrupts the principles of fair play." (sic)

TFF President Erdogan also said that the investigations found that each of 10 referees had bet on more than 10,000 matches within five years, and one referee even bet on 18,227 games.

Earlier in the week, Hacıosmanoğlu announced that a government probe had revealed that 371 of Turkey’s 571 active referees held accounts with online betting companies. Of these, 152 referees were found to have actually placed bets on football games — including seven from the top tier and 15 top-level assistant referees.

The scandal has sent shockwaves through Turkish football, raising serious concerns about transparency and ethics in officiating. The TFF affirmed that it is still committed to restoring public confidence in the sport and will continue working closely with government authorities to ensure full accountability.