371 Turkish referees face disciplinary action over betting allegations

This incident is the most severe threat to Turkish football’s credibility since the 2011 match-fixing scandal.

Turkey.- Over 370 Turkish referees, including 7 Süper Lig officials, are under investigation for allegedly placing bets on football matches in breach of FIFA and UEFA integrity codes. The disclosure was made by Turkish Football Federation (TFF) president Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu at a press conference in Istanbul yesterday (October 28).

According to Hacıosmanoğlu, joint internal audits with financial regulators revealed that 371 out of 571 Turkish referees had registered betting accounts. Of these, 152 were actively placing bets, with some reportedly wagering tens of thousands of times. The numbers were derived from the national betting database and licensed platforms analysed by investigators to uncover potential conflicts of interest.

Seven elite Süper Lig referees are among those implicated. Those found guilty may face suspensions, lifetime bans or criminal proceedings. The integrity codes of FIFA and UEFA prohibit referees from having betting accounts. Hacıosmanoğlu said: “We are determined to clean our football from any shadow of corruption. There will be no exceptions.”

This latest revelation marks the most severe threat to Turkish football’s credibility since the 2011 match-fixing scandal, which led to dozens of prosecutions of players, referees and club officials.

This incident is the most severe threat to Turkish football’s credibility since the 2011 match-fixing scandal. Turkey.- Over 370 Turkish referees, including 7 Süper Lig officials, are under investigation for…