In an unprecedented move that has sent shockwaves through the sport, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended 1,024 professional players as part of a massive investigation into illegal betting. The scandal has also ensnared hundreds of referees, painting a picture of systemic misconduct within Turkish football.
The suspensions target players across all professional tiers, including 27 from the top-flight Süper Lig. All individuals identified for betting on football matches have been referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) for further action.
The sheer scale of the suspensions has forced an immediate logistical crisis. All matches in the third and fourth divisions have been postponed for two weeks to allow clubs to manage catastrophic squad shortages. The TFF has formally requested that FIFA extend the winter transfer window by an additional 15 days to help teams recruit new players.
The scandal first erupted in late October when TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu revealed stunning figures about referee involvement. He reported that of 571 referees in the professional leagues, 371 held betting accounts, with 152 actively placing wagers. The scale of betting was vast, with ten referees each placing over 10,000 bets; one official was found to have placed an astonishing 18,227 wagers.
"This isn't a few bad apples; this is a systemic failure that strikes at the integrity of our entire competition," a football analyst commented following the announcements.
The probe has now escalated to criminal investigations. Turkish prosecutors have recently issued detention orders for 21 people, including 17 referees and two club presidents, as part of a parallel match-fixing and betting investigation. Local media has also reported the arrest of eight individuals, including a club chairman.
The fallout has even reached the country's most prominent clubs. BeÅŸiktaÅŸ released a statement confirming that two of its players were among those referred to the disciplinary board, while asserting their "full faith" in the pair's innocence.
The suspensions underscore a deep-rooted challenge for Turkish football, echoing global regulations from FIFA and UEFA that strictly prohibit all players, coaches, and officials from betting on the sport. As disciplinary proceedings begin, the league faces a long and complex path to restoring its credibility.