After the reaction of the Federation, it is the turn of justice to look into the matter. Eighteen people have been taken into custody in Turkey as part of an investigation targeting referees suspected of having bet on football matches, the Istanbul prosecutor’s office announced on Friday.
In total, 21 people including 17 referees and the president of a first division club in the country are the subject of an arrest warrant, the prosecution indicated without specifying how many referees are among the 18 people currently being heard. Justice is investigating in particular suspicions of “abuse of office” and “influence on the result of a match”.
149 referees suspended
Last Friday, the Disciplinary Board of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees accused of betting on matches in defiance of the ban imposed on them. The suspensions range from eight to twelve months, detailed the TFF, specifying in its press release that investigations were continuing concerning three other referees also incriminated. She did not indicate whether any of the officials were suspected of placing money on matches that they themselves had officiated.
A survey by the federation of 571 referees in Turkish professional leagues revealed that 371 of them have sports betting accounts and 152 actively bet.
