The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended 149 referees and assistant referees following an internal investigation that uncovered widespread betting among officials working in the country’s professional leagues.
According to the TFF, disciplinary sanctions ranging from eight to twelve months were handed down after it was confirmed that the referees had engaged in betting activities. Investigations into three additional officials are still ongoing.
The federation released the full list of sanctioned referees on its website, noting that the penalties were based on the “severity of the act.” However, no further details about the ongoing investigations were disclosed.
TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu revealed that data obtained from state institutions showed 371 of the 571 active referees in Turkey’s professional leagues held betting accounts, and 152 were actively gambling.
“There is a moral crisis in Turkish football,” Haciosmanoglu told CNN. “The fundamental issue at the heart of our football is ethical. Ask any referee if they’ve gone unpaid I will resign if even one says yes. We’ve improved their salaries twice in two years.”
Haciosmanoglu added that some referees placed an alarming number of bets one as many as 18,227 times while 42 others wagered on over 1,000 football matches each. Others, he said, had bet only once.
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