The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced a significant disciplinary action on November 13, marking one of the largest enforcement efforts in the history of national football. A staggering 102 professional football players, spanning both the top-tier Super Lig and the second-tier 1. Lig, have been suspended from all football activities. This widespread ban comes after a thorough investigation revealed that these individuals had breached regulations by engaging in football betting.
The transgressions committed by these 102 players extend beyond simple rule-breaking; they directly compromise the fundamental integrity of football competitions across Turkey. The penalties were officially handed down by the Turkish Professional Football Disciplinary Committee (PFDK) following an extensive inquiry. This investigation reportedly delved deep into players’ financial records, analyzed their betting account activities, and cross-referenced data obtained from various betting websites. Despite the severity of the situation, the PFDK has opted not to disclose the identities of the suspended players to the public. This latest crackdown follows a broader initiative by the TFF, which has been working in close cooperation with the PFDK. Previously, the TFF had submitted the names of more than 1,000 players for investigation into alleged betting offenses, a move undertaken as part of a wider effort to eradicate corruption within Turkish football. This commitment to internal cleansing was further evidenced by the earlier discovery of over 300 match referees also implicated in football betting activities.
Following an investigation that spanned over a month, the 102 players who were found guilty now face varying degrees of suspension from all football-related activities, with bans ranging from a minimum of 45 days to a maximum of one year. This unprecedented situation is expected to create considerable challenges for numerous Turkish football clubs, potentially impacting their squad depth and preparations for upcoming fixtures. Furthermore, the national team could also face difficulties in selecting players for international competitions. Of the suspended individuals, 25 ply their trade in the Super Lig, Turkey’s premier division, while the remaining 77 players are from the second-tier 1. Lig. Among the publicly known suspensions is Eren Almali, a player for major club Galatasaray and a member of the Turkish national team, who has been handed a 45-day ban. His 21-year-old Galatasaray teammate, Metehan Baltaci, received a more substantial nine-month suspension from the TFF.
Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, the President of the Turkish Football Federation, has characterized this extensive disciplinary action within the league as a profound “moral crisis” for Turkish football. He emphasized the gravity of the situation and the TFF’s determination to uphold the sport’s integrity. This recent wave of suspensions follows earlier robust action taken against match officials. The TFF had previously suspended 371 league referees after discovering they had established accounts for football betting. Further investigation into this specific group revealed that 152 referees and assistant referees were found to have regularly placed bets on football matches. One particularly egregious case highlighted a single referee who had placed an astonishing 18,227 bets, while 42 others were found to have bet over 1,000 times. Even individuals who had only placed a single bet were included in the disciplinary action, underscoring the TFF’s zero-tolerance policy towards betting violations.
