Turkish football faces unprecedented turmoil after authorities suspended over a thousand players amid a massive betting scandal. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced sanctions against 1,024 players across professional leagues pending investigations.
Immediate League Fallout
The scandal has forced immediate changes to league schedules. All matches in Turkey’s third and fourth divisions will pause for two weeks. Top-flight Super Lig and First Division matches will proceed as scheduled despite the chaos.
Emergency FIFA Request
TFF has urgently requested FIFA extend the winter transfer window by 15 days. This would help clubs manage depleted squads after suspensions. FIFA has not yet responded to this critical appeal.
Clubs and Officials React
Among those affected are 27 top-tier players referred to the disciplinary board. Besiktas confirmed two players under investigation. The club publicly defended their players’ innocence in an official statement.
Criminal Investigations Deepen
Turkish police have arrested eight suspects, including a club chairman. Prosecutors are examining possible match-fixing connections and ties to organized betting networks. Authorities issued 21 detention orders targeting referees and club officials.
Referee Betting Exposed
The scandal originated on October 27 when TFF president Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu revealed shocking referee betting data. Among 571 professional referees, 371 maintained betting accounts with 152 actively gambling on matches.
Hacıosmanoğlu stated seven top-league referees and fifteen assistants placed bets alongside dozens from lower divisions. Ten referees each placed over 10,000 bets. One official wagered on 18,227 matches.
Violating Football Regulations
TFF and FIFA rules strictly prohibit all referees, coaches, and players from betting activities. The scale of violations revealed in this investigation marks one of football’s biggest integrity crises.
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