Turkey’s football federation says it will launch disciplinary proceedings after hundreds of professional match officials were found to have betting accounts.
A five-year investigation found that that 371 of 571 match officials have accounts, with 152 of those actively gambling.
While some had only bet once, 42 had bet on more than 1,000 football matches – with one official found to have placed 18,227 bets.
Speaking to a media conference in Istanbul, the president of the Turkish football federation (TFF) Ibrahim Ethem Haciosmanoglu did not name the officials, but said the list 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.
“If we want to bring Turkish football to the place it deserves, we have to clean up whatever dirt there is,” Haciosmanoglu said.
He added the officials responsible will be will be referred to the TFF’s disciplinary board and “face the necessary penalties”.
Like players and coaches, match officials are forbidden from participating in betting activities by TFF Disciplinary Regulations, as well as those of Fifa and Uefa.
Under TFF rules, they could face up to a year-long ban, while Article 27 of the Fifa Code of Ethics states that referees found to have placed bets could face a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs (£94,246) and a ban of up to three years from all football-related activities.
Some of Turkey’s top clubs responded, with Besiktas saying the investigation’s findings “could mark a new beginning for clean football” while Trabzonspor called the development “an historic opportunity to rebuild justice in Turkish football”.
“This is both shocking and deeply saddening for Turkish football,” said Sadettin Saran, president of Fenerbahce.
“But the fact that it is coming to light is a hopeful development.”
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