Betting: Turkey Arrests Eight, Investigates Over 1,000 Players

Betting: Turkey Arrests Eight, Investigates Over 1,000 Players

Turkish authorities have decisively arrested eight individuals, including the chairman of a top-tier football club, as part of a serious investigation into illegal betting on football matches.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has also taken immediate action by suspending 1,024 players while disciplinary investigations are underway, BSNSports.com.ng has sourced.

This crackdown follows the TFF's earlier suspension of 149 referees and assistant referees, uncovering that officials in the country’s professional leagues were involved in betting activities.

According to Turkey's state-owned Anadolu news agency, a court has ruled to arrest Eyupspor chairman Murat Ozkaya along with seven others as part of this critical investigation.

Eyupspor has not provided any immediate comment on the situation. In a strong statement, the TFF announced that a total of 1,024 players from various leagues have been referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Council (PFDK) for investigation, including 27 players from the Super Lig, all of whom face suspension.

Among these 27 players are representatives from prominent clubs including champions Galatasaray and rivals Besiktas.

To address the urgent implications of these suspensions, the TFF has initiated negotiations with FIFA for a 15-day transfer and registration period, exclusive to the national level, enabling clubs to rectify their squad deficiencies ahead of the 2025-2026 winter transfer window.