Turkish Authorities Arrest Football Refereeing Body President and Six Members in Corruption Probe

The head of Turkiye’s football refereeing body and six other individuals have been placed under arrest following allegations of meddling in refereeing protocols, according to Justice Minister Akin Gurlek.

“Claims regarding interference in the formation of referee classifications, assignments, scoring and appointment processes, as well as rule examinations, have been investigated,” Gurlek stated in a social media message published on Tuesday.

Among those detained were Ferhat Gundogdu, who serves as the president of the refereeing body, alongside his deputy. Gurlek noted that law enforcement officials executed searches across the suspects' residences, workplaces, and offices.

“We will steadfastly continue the fight for clean football so that claims undermining trust in Turkish football are clarified, those responsible are held accountable before the law, and football is remembered for the effort, struggle, and sportsmanship on the field,” Gurlek added.

This development follows actions taken a year prior, when the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees over allegations of involvement in an illegal betting scandal. That prior TFF investigation revealed that 371 of the nation's 571 referees officiating within professional leagues maintained betting accounts, with 152 actively placing bets.

That sprawling investigation resulted in 29 arrests, which included 14 footballers—among them Fenerbahce international midfielder Mert Hakan Yandas—and the suspension of over 1,000 players, featuring 25 from the first division. Nevertheless, Gurlek refrained from connecting the current investigation to last year's betting scandal.