Scandal in Türkiye: referees president arrested

Ferhat Gündogdupresident of the Central Committee of Referees of the Turkish Football Federation (MHK), and six other people were arrested and taken into custody, the Attorney generalwho promised to work for clean football. Gündogduits vice president and five other suspects were arrested in a raid carried out in four provinces of the country, according to the Anadolu news agency.

“Judicial searches were carried out at their homes, workplaces and offices,” declared the Minister of Justice, Akin Gürlek, to X (formerly Twitter). He cited “accusations of interference in the preparation of referee classifications, in the assignment of referees, in the evaluation and appointment processes, as well as in rule reviews.”

A year ago, the Disciplinary Council of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees accused of betting on matches, violating the ban. The suspensions ranged from eight to twelve months. A federation investigation into 571 referees of Turkish professional leagues revealed that 371 of them had sports betting accounts and 152 were actively betting.

According to the federation, 22 of the referees involved (7 central referees and 15 assistant referees) were directing First Division matches. Neither the minister nor the Turkish media mentioned this first case on Tuesday, nor any possible relationship between the two. “We will continue to fight firmly for clean football, so that the accusations that undermine confidence in Turkish football are cleared up and those responsible are brought to justice,” he promised. Akin Gurlek.