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Turkey Suspends 1,024 Players in Expanding Illegal Betting Probe

The federation is pursuing emergency measures to keep competitions running during the betting probe.

Overview

  • An Istanbul court issued arrest warrants for eight suspects, including Eyüpspor chairman Murat Özkaya, with local reports saying he has been detained.
  • Of those suspended, 27 are current Süper Lig professionals, and the TFF list includes Galatasaray’s Eren Elmalı and Metehan Baltacı and Beşiktaş’s Ersin Destanoğlu and Necip Uysal.
  • Named players publicly deny wrongdoing, some citing a single historical bet unrelated to their own clubs, and they plan legal challenges.
  • To address roster gaps, the TFF has asked FIFA to allow a 15‑day domestic transfer window and paused second‑ and third‑tier matches for two weeks.
  • The probe began with referees, leading to eight‑ to twelve‑month bans for 149 officials, and TFF president İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu has called the situation a moral crisis.