Betting scandal in Turkish football: It's not just referees, but also presidents, managers, players, and masseurs involved!
Journalist İsmail Saymaz has shared new details reached in the administrative and judicial investigation into the betting scandal involving referees that has erupted in Turkish football.
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TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu's announcement that there are referees who engage in betting has caused a seismic effect in Turkish football.
In a press conference held yesterday, Hacıosmanoğlu stated, "371 referees have betting accounts, and 152 of them are actively betting." It was determined that one referee alone had placed bets 18,227 times.
Following the bombshell announcement, the identities of the referees involved in the betting scandal have become a subject of public curiosity. TFF Vice President Mecnun Otyakmaz stated that the names of the referees would be disclosed.
While the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the investigation into the betting scandal is deepening, new details regarding the probe have emerged.
Journalist İsmail Saymaz shared details of both the administrative investigation conducted by the TFF and the judicial inquiry by the prosecutor's office during a live broadcast on Halk TV.
REFEREES WITH RECORD NUMBERS OF BETS
According to the information provided by Saymaz, the betting accounts of 7 elite referees, 15 elite assistant referees, 36 regional referees, and 94 regional assistant referees were identified within the scope of the investigation. Using the phrase "it exceeds a hundred," Saymaz noted that the betting traffic of some names on the list has reached mind-boggling levels.
It was revealed that one referee placed bets exactly 18,227 times, 10 referees placed over 10,000 bets, and 42 referees placed over 1,000 bets.
Conversely, it was also determined that there are referees who have placed bets only once or twice.
Saymaz also relayed TFF President Hacıosmanoğlu's defense on this matter:
"The Federation President says: 'Just because they all have memberships does not mean they all placed bets. Some may have subscribed to follow matches and scores.'"
NOT JUST REFEREES: PRESIDENTS AND MASSEURS ARE INVOLVED TOO...
According to information obtained by Saymaz, the TFF's internal audit was not limited to referees. "An investigation was launched a month ago regarding 3,700 people in the football family. Club presidents, executives, managers, coaches, club staff, players, and referees are within this scope."
A detailed examination was conducted through a private company contracted by the federation, covering both national and foreign betting sites. Some figures that emerged during this process were striking:
A club president who placed 3,057 bets and won 476 times,
A player who placed 1,950 bets and won 340 times,
A manager who placed 15,987 bets and won 3,138 times,
A masseur who placed 2,399 bets and won 329 times were identified.
INVESTIGATIONS CONSOLIDATED INTO A SINGLE FILE
Saymaz explained that there were two separate judicial files regarding the betting allegations, one of which has been ongoing in Istanbul since April 2025, and the other in Antalya.
Stating that the file in Antalya has been transferred to Istanbul following the latest developments, Saymaz said, "From now on, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office will investigate these betting allegations."