The TFF provisionally suspended more than a thousand footballers and over a hundred referees amid an investigation into match-fixing and betting
Compartir:
Turkish football is experiencing one of the biggest scandals in its history. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced the provisional suspension of 1,024 professional players from all categories while a massive investigation into match-fixing and illegal betting is underway, which also involves hundreds of referees and officials.
The official statement was released last night, after several weeks of internal investigations that had already resulted in the disqualification of 149 referees and assistants for participating in sports betting, a practice strictly prohibited by law for anyone involved in professional football.
According to Turkish media reports, all the players involved were referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK), under Article 57 of the Federation's disciplinary code, which prohibits any type of gambling or betting related to the sport.
The administrative sanctions provided include financial fines and suspensions of up to 12 months, but the case could have much more serious consequences. The Istanbul prosecutor's office is investigating whether referees, players, and executives manipulated the results of matches on which they were betting. If match-fixing is proven, those involved could face prison sentences.
The magnitude of the scandal became evident last week, when the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office ordered the arrest of 17 referees and the president of a first division club, as part of the case.
Ya se ordenó la detención de 17 árbitros y el presidente de un club
More than 90% of the suspended players belong to the Second and Third Divisions of Turkish football, which caused an operational collapse in the competition. Due to the lack of available players, TFF suspended all matches in both categories for two weeks, until November 26, and requested FIFA's authorization to open an extraordinary 15-day domestic transfer window so that clubs can strengthen their squads.
How it all started
The origin of the scandal dates back to the end of October, when the president of the Federation, İbrahim Haciosmanoğlu, revealed the results of an internal investigation with the support of the authorities. According to the reports, two out of every three professional referees registered in Türkiye had active accounts with betting companies, and several of them had placed thousands of bets.
At a press conference on October 27, Haciosmanoğlu did not hide his concern and spoke of a "moral crisis in Turkish football," promising a thorough cleanup: "We will carry out a complete restoration of the integrity of the king of sports in our country," said the visibly affected official.
Haciosmanoğlu quiere limpiar el fútbol turco
The shock caused by the case not only threatens to damage the credibility of Turkish football, but also to disrupt the sporting and financial calendarof the season. With empty stadiums and the public distrusting the results, Türkiye faces the most serious challenge in decades to rebuild confidence in its most popular sport.
