Turkey's Head Referee Committee Chairman Arrested on Match-Fixing Charges

The head of Turkey’s Football Referees Committee and six others were arrested on suspicion of match-fixing through betting, Justice Minister Akin Özer stated on Tuesday, pledging to work for clean football.

According to the Anadolu Agency, Ferhat Gündoğdu, head of the Central Referees Committee under the Turkish Football Federation, along with his deputy and five other suspects, were detained in raids carried out in four provinces across the country.

Özer referred to “allegations of interference in the ranking, appointment, evaluation, and assignment of referees, as well as in law exams.”

The Hürriyet daily reported that the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office is relying on financial audits conducted by the Financial Crimes Investigation Bureau, communication records, witness statements, and expert reports in its investigation.

A year ago, the disciplinary committee of the Turkish Football Federation suspended 149 referees for betting on matches, in violation of a ban. The suspension periods ranged from eight to 12 months.

An investigation conducted by the federation with 571 referees in Turkey’s professional leagues revealed that 371 of them held sports betting accounts, and 152 were actively engaged in betting.

Neither the minister nor Turkish media mentioned this earlier case or any potential link between the two cases on Tuesday.

Özer pledged, “We will continue to firmly fight for clean football, until the facts behind allegations that undermine trust in Turkish football are clarified and those responsible are brought to justice.”