Turkish authorities formalized the arrest of eight people on Monday (10), including a president of a first division club, in an investigation into alleged betting on football matches, while the TFF (football federation) suspended 1,024 players pending disciplinary investigations.
The measures come after the TFF earlier this month suspended 149 referees and assistants following an investigation which found that officials working in the country’s professional leagues were betting on football matches.
Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported that a court had decided to arrest Eyupspor president Murat Ozkaya and seven others as part of the investigation.
Eyupspor was not immediately available for comment.
In a statement, the TFF said it had sent 1,024 players from all leagues to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) as part of the investigation, including 27 players from the top division Super Lig, who have all been suspended.
Among those 27 were players from champions Galatasaray and Istanbul rivals Besiktas, among others.
Players removed from the Turkish league
- 27 players of the Trendyol Super League (first division)
- 77 from the 1st Trendyol league (second division)
- 282 of the 2nd league Nesine (third division)
- 629 of the 3rd league Nesine (fourth division)
- 9 professional players
Source: Anadolu Agency
“Due to the preventive withdrawal of 1,024 football players, urgent negotiations have begun with FIFA to grant a 15-day transfer and registration period, in addition to the 2025-2026 winter transfer period, at national level only, so that clubs can make up their squad deficiencies,” TFF said.
It also reported that matches in the second and third division leagues were suspended for two weeks.
Football’s world governing body FIFA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the investigation and the TFF’s call for a 15-day transfer window.
Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek stated that the club supports all measures to moralize the sport, but made reservations. “It is necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff. Of course, players who bet must be punished. However, players who bet four or five years ago should not be placed in the same category as those who bet a week or two ago. They are young,” he said, according to a report by Anadolu Agency.
According to Turkish media, of those punished, two are Galatasaray athletes. One of them is Eren Elmalı, who also plays for the national team. “I want to make it clear that my name is included in this process due to a bet made approximately five years ago, involving someone who is not part of my team. Since then, I have not placed any bet or had any connection with the matter,” said the athlete, also according to Anadolu.
TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football”.
The federation’s own investigation revealed that 371 of the 571 referees active in Turkey’s professional leagues had betting accounts, and 152 of them were actively betting.
One referee had bet 18,227 times and 42 referees had bet on more than 1,000 football matches each. Others were discovered to have only bet once.
