Will matches be cancelled after the betting scandal? An expert weighs in...

The Turkish Football Federation’s public disclosure of the list of players involved in illegal betting allegations has caused the investigation into betting in football to gain momentum.

20 PEOPLE ARRESTED

A total of 20 people, including Metehan Baltacı, Murat Sancak, Alassane Ndao, Mert Hakan Yandaş, Ahmet Okatan, Mehmet Emin Katipoğlu, and Ümit Kaya, have been arrested, while 19 others were released under judicial control conditions.

Sports Lawyer Emin Özkurt made important assessments regarding the process. Speaking to NTV, Özkurt emphasized that the TFF is now forced to intervene in the process, stating:

"The moment you bet on your own match, you have the potential to influence the outcome of the competition. This can mean that the disciplinary offense of match-fixing under Article 56 has been committed. I believe these names will be referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) within this week."

Commenting on the process regarding Fenerbahçe player Mert Hakan Yandaş and Galatasaray player Metehan Baltacı, Özkurt stated, "If there is communication between players to ensure the results of the bets they placed with their other friends occur, this puts other players at risk as well. If they are referred to the PFDK—and I do not see a possibility of them not being referred—and if they receive a suspension of more than 6 months, their contracts could be unilaterally terminated by their clubs for just cause."

CAN MATCHES BE CANCELLED?

Regarding the fate of the matches where betting took place, Özkurt stated that the TFF could make a retroactive cancellation decision. “If it is understood that the result of a match was influenced after its registration within the framework of the competition instructions, the registration of that match's result is cancelled. Therefore, the competition will be cancelled in this way. However, the cancellation of the registration does not give clubs the right to compensation or other claims. Demands such as 'The registration of this match was cancelled, give me the championship' or 'I was relegated because this match was not cancelled, now let me move up to the higher league' cannot be made.

However, if all this organization shows that a coordinated effort was made to pave the way for a specific team's championship, or for a specific team to stay in the league or be relegated, the TFF would not have the legal option to exclude this from its evaluation,” he said, evaluating the possible scenarios.

News Source: 12punto