Breaking News... Akın Gürlek announces: Betting operation targeting club executives!

Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that a betting operation targeting football club executives has been carried out. 

In a post on his X account, Gürlek announced that a simultaneous operation centered in Istanbul was carried out today against 19 suspects. 

CLUB EXECUTIVES ARE AMONG THEM...

Gürlek stated, "Betting platform data from 2020-2026 and MASAK analyses were evaluated together; significant findings were obtained regarding the betting activities of some club executives serving in professional leagues affiliated with the Turkish Football Federation; a simultaneous operation centered in Istanbul was carried out today against 19 suspects."

It was reported that the list includes 3 former Beşiktaş executives and 1 former Galatasaray executive.

EXECUTIVES NAMED IN THE INVESTIGATION

The names of the club executives against whom an investigation has been launched have been revealed.

The executives named in the investigation and the findings are as follows:

- Ali Sancak (Adana Demirspor A.Ş.) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 7 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Savaş Tatil (Adanaspor A.Ş.) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 124 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Hasan Turan Güven (Altay Sports Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 78 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Barış Orhunbilge (Altınordu Football Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 14 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Kemal Aydın (Balıkesirspor Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 12 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Ünsal Yamaner (Bandırmaspor Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 144 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Tolga Kırgız (Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 1488 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Kerem Gürel (Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 996 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Ahmet Akçelik (Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 53 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Hüseyin Gözütok (Bodrum Sports Activities A.Ş.) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 27 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Murat Şabablı (Boluspor Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 13 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Ali Şen (Boluspor Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 61 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Halil İbrahim Yavaş (Boluspor Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 28 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Ali Gürsoy (Boluspor Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 22 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Avni Akdemir (Erzurumspor Football Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 218 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Maruf Güneş (Galatasaray) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 48 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Özgür Durşen (Gençlerbirliği Sports Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 50 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Sezgin Özkan (Gençlerbirliği Sports Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 16 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

- Ömer Çetin (Karaman Football Club) – It is assessed that during his tenure as an executive, he placed 18 coupons on bets regarding his own club's matches in favor of the opposing team or on goal bets.

Gürlek's statement is as follows: 

Under the leadership of our President, Mr. @RTerdogan, and in strong coordination with our Ministry of Interior, we are determinedly continuing our fight against illegal betting, violence in sports, match-fixing, and proceeds of crime. We adopt as a fundamental principle that football should be associated with justice, labor, and sweat; and that the struggle on the field should not remain under the shadow of any suspicion.

In this context, within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Illegal Betting and Sports Crimes Investigation Bureau under the coordination of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, significant findings have been reached regarding allegations of opposition to Law No. 6222 on the Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports, match-fixing, and illegal betting.

Betting platform data from 2020-2026 and MASAK analyses were evaluated together; significant findings were obtained regarding the betting activities of some club executives serving in professional leagues affiliated with the Turkish Football Federation; a simultaneous operation centered in Istanbul was carried out today against 19 suspects.

I would like to thank our Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which is conducting this comprehensive investigation with great sensitivity, our Istanbul Provincial Police Department, which successfully carried out the operations, and all the public officials who contributed.

Judicial processes are being carried out meticulously for the establishment of clean football, the protection of the reliability of sports, and the clarification of incidents that wound the conscience of our nation. Any suspicious structure, relationship, or action that damages the spirit of sports and casts a shadow on the reliability of football will be dealt with decisively. 

Under the leadership of our President, Mr. @RTerdogan, and in strong coordination with our Ministry of Interior, we are determinedly continuing our fight against illegal betting, violence in sports, match-fixing, and proceeds of crime. We adopt as a fundamental principle that football should be associated with justice, labor, and sweat;…

— Akın Gürlek (@abakingurlek) July 17, 2026

News Source: 12punto