Major scandal in Turkish football, large number of referees had sports betting accounts

Turkish football is facing a major crisis after the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) revealed that 371 referees in professional leagues have been linked to sports betting, raising serious concerns about corruption and conflicts of interest.

The federation's internal investigation found that out of 571 active referees, 371 had betting accounts, with 42 of them placing bets on over 1,000 matches individually.

Most of the bets involved foreign competitions, but the scale of the activity has caused alarm throughout the Turkish football community.

TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu warned that disciplinary measures would be swift: "We know that Turkish football needs change. We have started with the referees and our disciplinary committee will take the necessary steps and issue sanctions according to the guidelines."

He also suggested that investigations could be expanded to other key positions in the sport to restore integrity.

The scandal has drawn reactions from major clubs, all of whom have pledged cooperation. Galatasaray president Dursun Aydin Ozbek called the situation a “serious blow to the sporting ethics and fundamental values ​​of Turkish football” and affirmed the club’s support for all corrective measures.

Trabzonspor stressed that the process represents a "historic step towards restoring justice", while Fenerbahçe demanded full transparency regarding the referees involved and the matches affected.

The revelations have put Turkish football under unprecedented scrutiny, highlighting the urgent need for stricter oversight and reforms to protect the integrity of the game.