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Turkey Jails 20 in Widening Football Betting Probe

The case advances as Turkey's football federation waits for Spor Toto betting data to widen its disciplinary inquiry.

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Galatasaray v Liverpool - Rams Park, Istanbul, Turkey - September 30, 2025 Galatasaray's Metehan Baltaci REUTERS/Murad Sezer
Soccer Football - Europa Conference League - Round of 16 - First Leg - Union Saint-Gilloise v Fenerbahce - Lotto Park, Anderlecht, Belgium - March 7, 2024 Fenerbahce's Mert Hakan Yandas celebrates after Dusan Tadic scores their third goal REUTERS/Yves Herman

Overview

  • A court remanded 20 suspects in custody pending trial, including Galatasaray's Metehan Baltaci, Fenerbahce's Mert Hakan Yandas, and former Adana Demirspor president Murat Sancak.
  • Prosecutors had earlier ordered the detention of 46 people spanning players, club executives, a commentator, and a referee over alleged insider betting.
  • Baltaci told the court he placed bets as a youth player but not after joining Galatasaray's first team, while Yandas and Sancak denied gambling in their testimonies.
  • The Turkish Football Federation previously suspended 149 referees and assistants and imposed provisional bans on 1,024 players across leagues.
  • No trial date has been set as criminal and disciplinary investigations continue and officials signal further steps once betting data is provided.