In Ankara, where Turkish football’s institutions are again under scrutiny, the head of the Turkish Football Federation’s Central Refereeing Committee has been taken into custody as an investigation examines alleged interference in key refereeing procedures.
The news from the club
Ferhat Gündogdu, president of the Central Refereeing Committee, was detained alongside six other people in raids carried out across four Turkish provinces. Those held include Gündogdu’s deputy and five further suspects.
Justice Minister Akin Gürlek said judicial searches were conducted at the homes, workplaces and offices connected to the investigation. The allegations concern possible influence over referee classifications, match appointments, assessment and appointment processes, and examinations on the laws of the game.
Gürlek said the authorities would pursue the matter in the name of restoring confidence in Turkish football. “We will continue this fight decisively for clean football, so that allegations damaging trust in Turkish football are clarified and those responsible are brought to justice,” he said.
A refereeing system already under pressure
The detentions arrive a year after the Turkish Football Federation’s disciplinary board sanctioned 149 referees for breaches of the ban on betting on matches. Those suspensions ranged from eight to 12 months.
A federation review of 571 officials working in Turkey’s professional leagues found that 371 held sports-betting accounts, while 152 were actively placing bets.
The federation said 22 of the referees involved in that earlier case worked in the top division: seven were main referees and 15 were assistant referees.
Neither the Justice Minister nor Turkish reporting on Tuesday drew a connection between the new custody operation and the previous betting case. No link between the two investigations has been stated.
