Turkey FA suspends 1,024 players in betting probe

"The Turkish Football Federation has suspended 1,024 players from its professional leagues as part of an investigation into betting. The TFF said players who have been identified as having bet on football,, external including 27 from Turkey's top flight, have been referred to the country's Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK). Following the move, matches in the third and fourth divisions of Turkish football have been postponed for two weeks, although games in the country's top two divisions will continue."

"The scandal initially hit the headlines on 27 October, when TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said hundreds of referees were linked to betting accounts. Haciosmanoglu claimed that out of 571 referees working in Turkey's professional leagues, 371 had betting accounts and 152 were actively placing wagers. He said the group included seven referees and 15 assistant referees from Turkey's top two divisions, as well as 36 "classified" referees and 94 assistants from the level below."

"The TFF president added that 10 referees each placed more than 10,000 bets. One referee placed 18,227, while 142 referees placed bets on more than 1,000 matches. Some referees only placed a single bet. Like players and coaches, match officials are forbidden from participating in betting activities by TFF regulations, as well as those of Fifa and European governing body Uefa. Turkish prosecutors recently issued detention orders"

The Turkish Football Federation suspended 1,024 professional players in a betting investigation and referred those identified for wagering, including 27 top-flight players, to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board. Matches in the third and fourth divisions were postponed for two weeks while the top two divisions continue. The TFF requested an additional 15 days from Fifa beyond the winter transfer window to help clubs cope with squad shortages. Besiktas confirmed two players were referred and asserted confidence in their innocence. Authorities arrested eight people including a club chairman. Hundreds of referees were linked to betting accounts with significant wagering figures, and match officials are banned from betting under TFF, Fifa and Uefa rules. Prosecutors issued detention orders.

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