Turkish Football in Crisis: Referee Betting Scandal Unveiled

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees amid a betting scandal, revealing that 371 of 571 active referees had betting accounts. The TFF President labeled it as a moral crisis in Turkish football. Investigations into additional referees are still ongoing, with suspensions lasting 8-12 months.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 01-11-2025 11:21 IST | Created: 01-11-2025 11:21 IST

Turkish Football in Crisis: Referee Betting Scandal Unveiled — This image is AI-generated and does not depict any real-life event or location. It is a fictional representation created for illustrative purposes only.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees from their professional duties on Friday following an investigation into allegations of betting activities. The bans, ranging from eight to 12 months, came after the federation uncovered widespread involvement in betting among officials.

A comprehensive list of the suspended referees was published on the TFF's website. However, details regarding ongoing investigations or specific cases were not disclosed. TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu emphasized the moral decay within Turkish football, noting that 371 referees had betting accounts, with 152 actively gambling.

Haciosmanoglu highlighted the severity of the issue, revealing that some referees placed thousands of bets, citing one official who bet over 18,000 times. He stated this illustrates a fundamental ethical issue plaguing Turkish football.