Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Turkey Detains 18 in Soccer Betting Raids, Targets 17 Referees and Super Lig Club Chief

A federation audit exposed widespread referee betting, prompting mass suspensions and bans.

FILE PHOTO: A logo of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) is seen at the entrance of Riva Hasan Dogan national team training centre and education facilities in Istanbul, Turkey December 12, 2023. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya/File Photo/File Photo

Overview

  • Prosecutors issued detention warrants for 21 people, including 17 referees and a top‑flight club president, in a betting and match manipulation investigation.
  • At least 18 suspects were taken into custody in coordinated early‑morning operations across Istanbul and 11 other provinces.
  • The referees are being investigated on grounds of abuse of duty and influencing match outcomes linked to betting activity.
  • Warrants also cover a former club owner and a former association president, while one person was targeted over allegedly spreading misleading information on social media.
  • Media reported that Eyupspor president Murat Ozkaya and former Kasımpasa owner Fatih Sarac were questioned, as the TFF separately suspended 149 officials and issued eight‑ to 12‑month bans after data showed 371 of 571 referees had betting accounts and 152 placed bets, including one with 18,227 wagers.