Turkish authorities have intensified their crackdown on illegal betting in football, arresting eight people including the chairman of a top-tier club and suspending over a thousand players across the country.
According to Turkey’s state-owned Anadolu news agency, a court ordered the arrest of Eyupspor Chairman Murat Ozkaya and seven others on Monday as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged match-related betting activities. Eyupspor have yet to issue an official comment on the matter.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) also announced the suspension of 1,024 players from various leagues pending disciplinary hearings before the Professional Football Disciplinary Council (PFDK). Among the affected are 27 players from the Super Lig, including individuals from reigning champions Galatasaray and Istanbul rivals Besiktas.
The sweeping suspensions follow an earlier TFF decision to ban 149 referees and assistant referees, after it was discovered that officials working in the country’s professional leagues had placed bets on matches.
In a statement, the TFF said:
“Due to the precautionary transfer of 1,024 football players to the PFDK, negotiations have been initiated urgently with FIFA to grant a 15-day transfer and registration period only at the national level so clubs can address squad deficiencies.”
The scandal has sent shockwaves through Turkish football, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the sport as authorities and the federation vow to continue the probe and impose strict disciplinary measures.
