Worrying picture for Turkish football following referee betting scandal
Calculations made following the statements of Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu have revealed that approximately 28 percent of the referees affiliated with the federation are linked to betting.
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TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu made a statement that caused shockwaves in Turkish football. Hacıosmanoğlu announced that 371 referees officiating in football leagues have betting accounts, and that 152 of these individuals have directly placed bets.
Following the statement, the list of the 152 referees identified as having placed bets was also shared with the public.
REGIONAL REFEREES NOT INCLUDED
The list of 571 referees announced by Hacıosmanoğlu did not include regional referees or regional assistant referees.
A total of 1,342 referees serve under the TFF. Considering this figure, the fact that 371 referees have betting accounts makes the situation within the federation even more striking.
28 PERCENT HAVE PLACED BETS
According to calculations based on the total of 1,342 referees, the rate of referees with betting accounts is 27.6 percent.
When considering the 152 referees determined to have placed bets, this rate drops to 11.3 percent.
However, when based on the narrower list of 571 referees announced by Hacıosmanoğlu, the fact that 371 people have betting accounts raises the rate to 64.9 percent.
When considering that 152 referees on the same list have actually placed bets, this rate reaches 26.6 percent.
NUMBER OF REFEREES AT THE TFF
The distribution of referees serving under the TFF is as follows:
- Elite Class Referees: 54
- Video Assistant Referees (VAR): 17
- Elite Class Assistant Referees: 112
- Class Referees: 133
- Class Assistant Referees: 251
- Women's Regional Referees: 32
- Women's Regional Assistant Referees: 103
- Regional Referees: 229
- Regional Assistant Referees: 411
- Total: 1,342 referees