By Samuel Akpan with agency report
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has taken decisive action against 149 referees accused of betting on matches, suspending them for periods ranging from eight to 12 months.
This move comes after an investigation revealed widespread betting activity among Turkish referees.
“Refereeing is a profession of honour,” said TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu.
“Anyone who tarnishes that honour…will never again be involved in Turkish football.”
The investigation, which covered 571 referees in Turkish professional leagues, found that 371 had sports betting accounts, with 152 actively placing bets.
The scandal has rocked Turkish football, with 22 officials, including seven match referees and 15 assistants, working in the top league implicated.
Shockingly, 10 referees placed over 10,000 bets, with one referee alone placing 18,227 bets. Forty-two referees bet on more than 1,000 football matches each.
The Istanbul public prosecutor’s office has launched a separate investigation, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
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