The Turkish Football Federation has suspended 149 referees found guilty of betting on football matches, in what has become one of the biggest integrity scandals in the country’s sports history.
In a statement released on Friday, the federation said the referees received suspensions ranging from eight to twelve months after a disciplinary review. It also confirmed that investigations were still ongoing against three other referees.
According to findings from an internal probe into 571 referees working across Turkish professional leagues, 371 were discovered to have active betting accounts, while 152 were found to be regularly placing bets.
TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, speaking on Thursday, said the federation would not tolerate any form of misconduct that undermines the game’s integrity.
“Refereeing is a profession of honour,” he said. “Anyone who tarnishes that honour will never again be involved in Turkish football.”
The federation added that 22 of those sanctioned — including seven match referees and 15 assistants — officiated in Turkey’s top league.
It was also revealed that some referees engaged heavily in betting activities. Ten of them placed more than 10,000 bets, with one referee making as many as 18,227 bets. Another 42 referees were found to have wagered on more than 1,000 football matches each.
Although officials did not say whether any of the referees had bet on matches they personally officiated, the scale of betting activity has alarmed both football authorities and fans.
The Istanbul public prosecutor’s office has opened a criminal investigation into the case as part of efforts to uncover possible links between the referees and organised betting syndicates.
The TFF said it would continue working with law enforcement to protect the credibility of Turkish football and ensure those responsible face full consequences.
