Eyüpspor club president Murat Ozkaya is among those detained as third and fourth division matches are put on hold.
Turkey.- A huge betting and corruption scandal has engulfed Turkish football with eight arrests and 1,024 players suspended by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) amid an investigation into illegal betting and match-fixing.
Those detained include Eyüpspor club president Murat Ozkaya, who was taken into custody alongside seven others following coordinated police operations in 13 provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. The investigation, led by the Istanbul Cyber Crimes Division and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, also targets referees and club officials suspected of involvement in unregulated betting.
The TFF said all suspended players have been referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Council, with hearings pending. The list includes 27 players from the Super Lig, Turkey’s top division, among them Galatasaray defender Eren Elmali, a Turkish international who admitted to having placed a bet several years ago on a match not involving his team.
An earlier wave of disciplinary actions saw the suspension of 149 referees and assistant referees accused of betting on games they officiated. Reports suggested that hundreds of referees held betting accounts, with some placing thousands of wagers over recent years.
In a statement, TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football,” saying, “The integrity of our sport has been compromised, and we must act decisively to restore trust.”
The TFF has postponed all matches in the third and fourth divisions for two weeks, while Super Lig and second-division games will continue as scheduled. The federation has asked FIFA to approve a 15-day domestic transfer window extension to allow clubs to replace suspended players and maintain competition stability.
Eyüpspor club president Murat Ozkaya is among those detained as third and fourth division matches are put on hold. Turkey.- A huge betting and corruption scandal has engulfed Turkish football…
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