Turkish football is currently engulfed in a significant betting scandal, with authorities arresting eight individuals, including Murat Ozkaya, the president of Super League club Eyupspor. These arrests are part of a wider crackdown on illegal gambling activities within the sport, which has also seen the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) provisionally suspend over 1,000 players.
The eight arrests were made in connection with alleged involvement in football betting. According to reports from the Turkish news agency Anadolu, a court has formally charged Eyupspor club president Murat Ozkaya and seven other associated individuals. The club, Eyupspor, has yet to release any official statement regarding the situation.
These arrests coincide with an unprecedented move by the TFF, which has provisionally suspended a staggering 1,024 players across various Turkish football leagues. These suspensions are pending a comprehensive disciplinary investigation by the Federation’s Disciplinary Board (PFDK). Notably, 27 of these suspended players are from the top-tier Super League, with some affiliated with prominent clubs such as Galatasaray and Besiktas.
This recent wave of arrests and suspensions follows a similar, extensive investigation conducted by the TFF in early November. During that period, approximately 149 referees and numerous assistant referees were suspended after evidence emerged of their involvement in football betting. These officials were found to have placed bets on football matches globally, including fixtures within the Turkish Super League. The TFF had previously taken action against 371 professional league referees for creating betting accounts, revealing that 152 referees and assistant referees engaged in regular betting. Disturbingly, investigations showed one referee placed an astonishing 18,227 bets, with 42 others betting over 1,000 times each, while some placed only a single bet.
In light of the ongoing investigations, the TFF has formally referred the names of all 1,024 suspended players to the PFDK for further inquiry. The federation has also appealed to the International Football Federation (FIFA) for an urgent 15-day extension to the current player transfer window. This extension is crucial to allow clubs sufficient time to trade and register new players, thereby mitigating the severe impact of the suspensions and enabling national teams and clubs to find suitable replacements. Furthermore, matches in Turkey’s second and third-tier professional leagues have been temporarily halted for two weeks due to the unfolding crisis. FIFA has yet to issue a response to the TFF’s request for a transfer window extension.
Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, the President of the TFF, has candidly described the disciplinary crackdown as a ‘serious moral crisis’ facing Turkish football. The federation’s resolute actions underscore the gravity of the situation and its commitment to upholding the integrity of the sport.
