Istanbul: Eighteen people are being held in Turkey as part of an investigation into alleged betting by referees on football matches, according to the Istanbul prosecutor’s office. The probe has raised significant concerns about the integrity of football officiating in the country.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, warrants have been issued for the arrest of twenty-one individuals, including seventeen referees and the president of a first division club. However, the prosecutor’s office has not disclosed the exact number of referees among the eighteen individuals currently being questioned. The investigation primarily focuses on suspicions of match fixing and abuse of power within the realm of Turkish football.
The Disciplinary Council of the Turkish Football Federation had already taken action last week by suspending 149 referees. These referees were accused of betting on matches, which is a violation of an established ban. The suspensions handed out range from eight to twelve months, although the federation has not clarified if any of these referees had bet on matches they officiated.