ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – The Turkish Football Federation has suspended 149 referees and assistant referees for their alleged involvement in a gambling scandal involving a professional soccer league.
The federation announced on Friday that it had decided to impose sanctions ranging from eight to 12 months on 149 of its employees, while investigations into the remaining three continued.
“Turkish football’s reputation is built on the sanctity of its commitment on the field and the unwavering integrity of justice. Betraying these values is not just a violation of the rules, it is a betrayal of trust,” federation president Ibrahim Hajusmanoğlu said in a statement.
“Recent investigations have revealed that some referees have been involved in gambling activities in a manner totally inconsistent with the spirit of football. This is not just a violation, but an abuse that offends the conscience and prejudices justice.”
Hadju Osmanoğlu had announced on Monday The agency determined that 371 out of 571 active referees had at least one gambling company account. He said 152 referees with accounts placed bets on football, including seven top-level referees and 15 top-level assistants.
Haçuzmanoğlu said the 10 umpires each bet on more than 10,000 matches over five years, but some umpires only bet on one match. One of the umpires is said to have placed bets on 18,227 games.
Broadcaster Havertürk, citing judicial sources, reported that investigations into the club and players are also underway. Approximately 3,700 players reported being investigated.
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