Detention Orders Issued in Major Turkish Football Betting Investigation
Turkish prosecutors have issued detention orders for 21 individuals, including 17 referees and two football club presidents, as part of a significant investigation into betting and match-fixing activities.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that simultaneous raids were conducted across 12 cities, including Istanbul.
Eighteen suspects have been taken into custody, while two are believed to be abroad and one remains unaccounted for.
The identities of those detained have not yet been disclosed by the prosecutors.
According to the statement, the referees are under investigation for misconduct in office and for allegedly manipulating game outcomes.
Among those named are Eyupspor president Murat Ozkaya, former Kasımpaşa Sports Club owner Turgay Ciner, and ex-president Fatih Sarac, who are accused of influencing match results.
In September, a separate financial investigation was initiated into two major conglomerates, Can Holding and Ciner Group, which owned Kasımpaşa Sports Club. As part of that inquiry, a court appointed a trustee to oversee the club's management, which is currently under court administration. Ciner is believed to be residing abroad.
Additionally, prosecutors have issued a detention order for a social media user identified as UE, who is accused of disseminating misleading information.
Public interest in the betting allegations intensified on October 27, when Turkish Football Federation (TFF) president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu stated in a news conference that hundreds of referees were linked to betting accounts.
Haciosmanoglu claimed that out of 571 referees working in professional leagues, 371 held betting accounts, with 152 actively placing wagers. This group includes seven referees and 15 assistant referees from Turkey's top two divisions, along with 36 classified referees and 94 assistants from lower divisions.
The TFF president further noted that 10 referees had placed over 10,000 bets, with one individual alone placing 18,227 bets, while 142 referees bet on more than 1,000 football matches. Some referees reportedly only placed a single bet.
The Istanbul prosecutor's office later confirmed that the investigation into referees' betting activities commenced in April. A related probe by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the TFF's Central Refereeing Committee was subsequently merged with the Istanbul case.
The prosecutor's office indicated that Haciosmanoglu's recent comments were added to the investigation file as a formal notification.
Following these revelations, the referees were referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK).
Among those referred was Super Lig referee Zorbay Kucuk, who filed a criminal complaint on October 30, alleging that his identity had been stolen and denying any involvement in betting. Kucuk stated to reporters outside the courthouse that he is not a member of any betting website.
On November 1, the TFF announced that 149 of the 152 referees referred to the PFDK had been banned for periods ranging from eight to twelve months for betting violations. Investigations into Kucuk, Melih Kurt, and Mertcan Tubay are still ongoing.