The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended 149 referees found to have placed bets on football matches, in what is being described as one of the biggest integrity scandals in Turkish football history.

 

 

 

In a statement released on Friday, October 31, the TFF said its disciplinary committee had imposed suspensions ranging from eight to twelve months on the referees involved. It also confirmed that investigations are still ongoing into three additional referees.

 

 

 

The decision followed a sweeping internal investigation into 571 referees across Turkish professional leagues, which revealed that 371 of them had sports betting accounts, and 152 were actively gambling.

 

 

 

 

“Refereeing is a profession of honour,” TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said on Thursday, October 30. “Anyone who tarnishes that honour will never again be involved in Turkish football.”

 

 

 

According to the findings, 22 of the suspended officials, including seven match referees and 15 assistant referees, were active in Turkey’s top football league. The data also showed alarming betting patterns, with ten referees placing over 10,000 bets each, and one referee reportedly making 18,227 bets.

 

 

 

 

A further 42 referees were found to have bet on more than 1,000 football matches. However, Haciosmanoglu did not confirm whether any of them had wagered on games they officiated, an act that would constitute a major criminal and ethical violation.

 

 

 

The Istanbul public prosecutor’s office has now launched a criminal investigation into the scandal, as Turkish football authorities face growing pressure to restore public trust in the sport’s integrity.