The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said on Monday, December 29, 2025, that it has referred 353 referees and 75 regional match observers to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) after concluding they placed bets, widening a far-reaching integrity investigation that has also evolved into a criminal case.
In a statement carried by Turkish media, the TFF said the officials were referred with precautionary measures under Article 57 of the federation’s Football Disciplinary Instruction, which prohibits anyone working in football from betting on matches or football-related activity.
The latest round of referrals comes on top of earlier federation action. In previous phases of the probe, the TFF said it had suspended 149 referees and assistant referees, and imposed bans on 1,024 players across all leagues, as it reviewed betting activity and potential violations of integrity rules.
Disciplinary measures are running in parallel with a criminal investigation led by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, which has conducted raids and detentions tied to illegal betting and suspected match manipulation in professional football. Prosecutors ordered 29 more people detained on Friday, December 26, with 24 already in custody at the time—among them Erden Timur, identified as a former Galatasaray executive.
Reuters reported that investigators described Timur’s case as centered on suspicious financial transactions, rather than alleging that he personally placed bets—an important distinction that underscores how the criminal file is not only about wagering itself, but also about potential facilitation, payments, and betting-linked money flows
So far, the TFF has not published a full list of the referees and observers referred on December 29, nor has it clarified whether the regional officials are tied to any specific matches, or whether any files overlap with the ongoing criminal investigation. That lack of detail leaves major unanswered questions about scope and culpability—particularly because “precautionary” disciplinary steps can effectively sideline officials before courts reach any conclusion.
Turkey has long battled illegal betting networks, and football authorities treat any betting by referees or match officials as an existential threat to match integrity. But as the number of implicated figures balloons into the hundreds, the scandal is also becoming a stress test of institutional credibility: whether the federation can demonstrate transparent criteria, consistent due process, and clear separation between disciplinary enforcement and the political pressures that often swirl around Turkish football.
