TFF President Reveals 152 Referees Caught Betting
Turkish football
Turkey’s Football Federation (TFF) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu made a bombshell revelation during a press conference held at the TFF Hasan Doğan National Teams Camp and Training Facilities, announcing that 152 active referees have been found betting on sports matches.
“371 Referees Have Betting Accounts, 152 Actively Gamble”
Hacıosmanoğlu said the investigation — conducted in cooperation with state authorities — uncovered deep-rooted corruption within Turkish football:
“We’ve been working with government institutions for months. For years, veterans of Turkish sports have spoken about the decay in our football system. There’s an old saying: ‘When the gun appeared, chivalry died.’ Ever since betting entered football, we’ve seen the rise of immorality and corruption.
We started by cleaning up our own garden. Out of 571 active referees in professional leagues, 371 have betting accounts, and 152 of them are actively betting.”
“One Referee Placed 18,227 Bets”
The TFF president went on to disclose shocking details about the scale of misconduct:
“Among these are 7 top-tier referees, 15 top-tier assistant referees, 36 mid-tier referees, and 94 assistant referees.
Ten referees have placed over 10,000 bets, while one referee alone placed 18,227 bets. Forty-two referees have each placed wagers on over 1,000 football matches, and some referees have even bet on single matches they officiated.”
“Disciplinary Action Begins Immediately”
Hacıosmanoğlu confirmed that the TFF Disciplinary Board has already launched formal proceedings:
“Starting today, our Disciplinary Committee will take the necessary steps to impose sanctions in accordance with regulations. Under Law No. 6222 and TFF guidelines, the statute of limitations is five years — and all the cases I’ve mentioned fall within that window.”
“We Have No Interest in Keeping Our Seats”
Defiant against political and institutional pressure, Hacıosmanoğlu declared his intent to “clean up Turkish football” regardless of consequences:
“We’re not here to keep our seats by getting along with people. Our duty is to cleanse Turkish football of every form of corruption. As long as God allows it, we’ll finish what we’ve started.”
Background: Betting Scandal Exposes Deep Flaws
This revelation marks one of the biggest integrity scandals in Turkish football history, raising serious questions about match-fixing risks and the ethical oversight of match officials.
Experts warn that if confirmed, these findings could damage public trust in Turkish football and trigger UEFA scrutiny, especially given the high volume of bets placed by licensed referees.