Turkish football has been in a state of shock since Monday, when the president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) confirmed that 152 of the 571 active referees are suspected of involvement in illegal betting activities. Particularly alarming is the fact that seven referees and 15 assistant referees who work in the Super Lig are among the suspects.
“One referee alone placed 18,227 bets,” TFF President Ibrahim Hacıosmanoglu told a press conference. “We are determined to rid football of any trace of corruption. We will make no exceptions.”
The scale of the scandal suggests systematic, organized structures. The revelations also suggest a lack of sufficient oversight of Turkey’s referees and call into question the credibility of the professional game in the country.
Long bans or even jail sentences possible
During his press conference, the TFF boss stressed that the federation had immediately initiated disciplinary proceedings against the referees suspected of involvement. TFF statutes provide for bans of between three months and one year — and in cases of particularly serious violations, an official could face a lifetime ban.
On Tuesday, the TFF announced the names of the referees. None of the 152 referees involved appear to have bet on matches they officiated themselves. However, if it is proven that they communicated with the referee of a match they bet on, they could still face match-fixing charges. Should this be confirmed, those involved would stand to face not only lifetime bans from football, but also prison sentences of between 18 months and four and a half years.
The most well-known is Zorbay Kuçuk, who made a statement in front of the courthouse Thursday, claiming that someone else opened the betting account in his name, and filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor’s office.
“We have started with the referees, but my board and I are also conducting our own internal reviews with the relevant government institutions,” Hacıosmanoglu said. “We will announce the results of this work shortly.”
No disruption to Super Lig
Despite the accusations, legal experts currently see no grounds for annulling results or further action affecting league tables. Nevertheless, the season could be disrupted if a large number of referees were to be suspended. In that case, the TFF could call in foreign referees to ensure that the season can continue without disruption.
“The fact that this is coming to light is a hopeful development,” said Sadettin Saran, president of Istanbul club Fenerbahce. “But it is crucial that this information is transparently disseminated without delay.”
Report: Clubs, players also being investigated
“We view this initiative, led by Mr. Hacıosmanoglu, as a significant turning point for Turkish football,” fellow Istanbul outfit Galatasaray said in a press release.
Besiktas issued a similar statement: “The results of the investigation could mark a new beginning for clean football.”
The betting scandal appears to be widening. The broadcaster Haberturk, citing judicial sources, reported that clubs and players are also under investigation. The report put the number of players under investigation at 3,700.
The scandal clearly demonstrates how vulnerable football is to financial interests and a lack of oversight. Much is at stake for Turkish football — not only in terms of sporting success, but also its credibility and international reputation.
Both football’s global governing body, FIFA, and its European counterpart, UEFA, have said that they are closely monitoring the situation.
This article was originally published in German and was updated on October 30 to reflect the TFF’s latest news in the case.
Cengiz Ozbek contributed to this report.
Edited by: Jonathan Harding
