Turkish football rocked by massive betting scandal with judges

The federation's internal investigation revealed that out of 571 active judges, 371 had betting accounts, with 42 of them placing bets in over 1,000 individual matches.

Most bets included foreign races, but the level of activity has caused alarm throughout the Turkish football community.

TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu warned that disciplinary measures would be swift: “We know Turkish football needs change. We have started with our judges and the disciplinary commission will take the necessary steps and issue sanctions according to instructions. ”

He also suggested that investigations could be expanded to other key positions in the sport to restore integrity.

The scandal has drawn reactions from major clubs, all promising co-operation. Galatasaray's president, Dursun Aydin Ozbek, called the situation a “serious blow to the sports ethics and basic Turkish football values” and confirmed the club's support for all corrective measures.

Trabzonspor stressed that the process represents a historical “step towards restoring justice”, while Fenerbahce demanded full transparency in relation to the judges involved and the affected matches.

The findings have placed Turkish football under an unprecedented review, stressing the urgent need for monitoring and stricter reforms to protect the integrity of the game./Periscopi/