Turkish Football Federation Suspends 149 Referees for Match-Fixing and Betting Scandal

Turkey’s Football Federation has suspended 149 referees and assistant referees amid a sweeping betting scandal.

Sanctions of eight to 12 months have been imposed while investigations continue into three more officials.

Arab News

Leaders condemned the conduct as a serious breach of trust.

Earlier reviews found that 371 of 571 active officials held betting accounts and 152 actively placed wagers.

Several outlets emphasize the scale and ongoing nature of the probe, describing it as a major integrity crisis in Turkish football.

Beyond the headline numbers, multiple outlets detail the scale of the betting issue among officials.

A total of 371 out of 571 active officials had betting accounts, and 152 were actively placing bets.

Devdiscourse

Sources from West Asia and Africa report that among those suspended, 22 officials worked in the top league.

These included seven main referees and 15 assistant referees.

Several reports note that some referees placed thousands of bets, with one individual placing over 18,000 bets.

An African outlet also reports that 42 referees each bet on more than 1,000 matches.

Legal and disciplinary processes are unfolding in parallel.

“The Turkish Football Federation has suspended 149 referees and assistant referees for their alleged involvement in a betting scandal involving professional football leagues”

ESPN

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has been investigating potential match-fixing since April.

A separate effort by the İstanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office is noted by regional media.

The Turkish Football Federation pledged full cooperation.

It remains unclear whether any bets involved games referees worked or attempts to influence outcomes.

Despite the scandal, the Turkish Super Lig continues uninterrupted.

There are calls to support referees who maintain integrity.

The probe is widening beyond match officials.

Multiple reports say inquiries are expanding to clubs and players, with some outlets specifying approximately 3,700 players under scrutiny.

New Telegraph

Others reference the expansion without numbers.

Alongside disciplinary bans of eight to 12 months, federation leaders in regional and African coverage vow permanent exclusion from Turkish football for those who damage the profession’s integrity.

Across coverage, leadership rhetoric is consistent in condemning the scandal as a profound breach of trust and an assault on the honor of refereeing.

“The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) on Friday suspended 149 referees accused of betting on matches”

supersport

Sources highlight statements that refereeing is a profession of honor and assert that integrity must be protected.

supersport

Officials urge support for referees who uphold standards.

The tension between strong condemnation and procedural caution shapes how different outlets frame the scandal’s severity and next steps.