Online Reporter
TURKIYE’S football federation say they will launch disciplinary proceedings after hundreds of professional match officials were found to have betting accounts.
A five-year investigation found 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 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 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.”
This day could mark a defining moment for Turkish football – a sport long overshadowed by controversies surrounding referees, even incidents of violence against them.
This is not the first time refereeing has been at the centre of debate in Turkey. For years, officials have faced fierce criticism for their performances. But this time, the issue runs far deeper, and involves far more than a few individuals.
Among the numbers released by the TFF are seven elite referees qualified to officiate in the Super Lig, the country’s top division.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, prosecutors confirmed that an official investigation into the allegations began back in April. – BBC Sport
