Eighteen detained in Turkey over referee betting scandal
ISTANBUL — Eighteen football referees and officials have been taken into custody in Turkey as part of a wide-ranging investigation into illegal sports betting. Prosecutors in Istanbul suspect that several match officials may have influenced game results in connection with the scheme.
The arrests come just one week after the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees for alleged involvement in betting activities — a scandal that has shaken the country’s top football league, the Süper Lig.
According to the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office, 21 individuals, including 17 referees and the president of a first-division club, are the subjects of arrest warrants. Authorities have not confirmed how many of the 18 people currently in custody are active referees.
Among those implicated is Zorbay Kuçuk, reportedly the third-highest-paid referee in the Süper Lig last season, who is accused of betting on matches he may have officiated.
The case has reignited debate in Turkey about sports integrity and the oversight of football governance, with calls for stricter monitoring and transparency within the federation.
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