Turkish football has been in a state of shock since Monday, when the president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) confirmed that 152 out of 571 active referees are suspected of being involved in illegal betting activities. Particularly worrying is the fact that seven referees and 15 assistant referees working in the Super Lig are among the suspects.
“One referee alone made 18,227 bets,” TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said at a press conference. “We are committed to freeing football from corruption of any kind. We will make no exceptions.”
The scale of the scam suggests systematic, organized structures. The revelations also reveal a lack of adequate oversight of Turkish refereeing and raise questions about the credibility of professional sport in the country.
Long term ban or even jail sentence possible
During his press conference, the TFF boss stressed that the federation has initiated disciplinary proceedings against the referee allegedly involved without any delay. The TFF statute provides for a ban of between three months to one year – and in cases of particularly serious violations, an official could face a lifetime ban.
Particularly serious is the suspicion that some referees may have placed bets on matches they were officiating, an offense that may also be closely linked to the charge of match fixing. If confirmed, those involved would face not only a lifetime ban from football but also prison sentences ranging from 18 months to four-and-a-half years.
“We have started with the referees, but I and my board are also conducting our own internal reviews with relevant government institutions,” Haciosmanoglu said. “We will announce the results of this work shortly.”
No disruption in Super League
Despite the allegations, legal experts currently see no grounds for voiding the results or for further action that could affect the league tables. Nevertheless, the current season could be disrupted if a large number of referees are suspended. In that case, the TFF may call in a foreign referee to ensure that the season can continue without disruption.
“The fact is that this is a promising development,” said Sadetin Saran, president of Istanbul club Fenerbahce. “But it is important that this information is disseminated transparently without any delay.”
Report: Clubs and players are also being investigated
“We see this initiative under the leadership of Mr. Haciosmanoglu as a turning point for Turkish football,” Istanbul partner Galatasaray said in a press release. Besiktas issued a similar statement: “The results of the investigation could signal a new beginning for clean football.”
Meanwhile, the issue of betting in Turkish football seems to be on the rise. Broadcaster Haberturk, citing judicial sources, said the club and players are also under investigation. The report puts the number of players under investigation at 3,700.
This scandal clearly shows how vulnerable football is to financial interests and lack of oversight. There is a lot at stake for Turkish football – not only in terms of sporting success, but also its credibility and international reputation.
Football’s global governing body FIFA and its European counterpart UEFA have both said they are monitoring the situation closely.
This article was originally published in German.
Edited by: Jonathan Harding