Hundreds of Turkish officials found with betting accounts

After it was discovered that hundreds of professional match officials had betting accounts, Turkey’s football federation will launch disciplinary proceedings.

According to a five-year investigation, 152 of the 571 match officials have accounts, with 152 of them actively gambling.

42 had wagers on more than 1, 000 football games, with one official reporting that they had placed 18 227 bets, compared to some who had only once.

The Turkish football federation (TFF) president Ibrahim Ethem Haciosmanoglu did not name the officials at a press conference in Istanbul, but he claimed the list included 36 “classified” referees and 94 assistants from the level below.

“We have to clean up whatever dirt there is,” Haciosmanoglu said, “if we want to bring Turkish football there where it belongs.”

Match officials are prohibited from engaging in gambling activities by the TFF Disciplinary Regulations, as well as those of Fifa and Uefa, like players and coaches.

According to TFF regulations, they could receive a year-long ban, while Article 27 of the Fifa Code of Ethics mandates that referees who place bets may be subject to a fine of 100, 000 Swiss francs (£94, 246) and a three-year ban from all football-related activities.

Besiktas and Trabzonspor both cited the investigation’s findings as “could be a new beginning for clean football,” while Trabzonspor called it “an historic opportunity to rebuild justice in Turkish football.”

For Turkish football, this is both shocking and heartbreaking, according to Fenerbahce president Sadettin Saran.

Turkey’s football, which has long been dominated by controversy surrounding referees and even violent incidents, may experience a turning point today.

Refereeing has been a topic of conversation in Turkey before, and this is not the first time. Officials have long been subject to severe criticism for their performance. The issue, however, extends far beyond a few individuals and is much more complicated this time.

Seven prestigious referees have been chosen to officiate in the Super Lig, the nation’s top division, among the figures the TFF has released.

Prosecutors confirmed that an official investigation into the allegations started back in April, adding to the urgency of the situation.

Many of the questions are still unanswered.

These referees are who? In recent years, how many games have they officiated? Which of those games had a connection to their betting habits? Did they know about each other’s involvement, or did they even make wagers on one another’s games?

The general public currently has few options. The scope of the allegations has fundamentally shook the game’s confidence.

League games in Turkey should be postponed until the investigation is finished, according to several football commentators in Turkey, arguing that innocent referees are now unfairly caught under a cloud of suspicion.

Others believe that the current situation should prompt calls for the appointment of foreign referees, a suggestion that has come up frequently in recent years.

However, the football schedule continues. The league will continue this week as two matches are scheduled for Monday night.

One thing is certain: Turkish refereeing will never again be seen as such.