Source, Mehmet Murat Onel/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
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- Written by, BBC News Turkish
- Where he stated, London
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Reading time: 3 min
Within the scope of the football betting investigation, a detention order was issued for 29 people, 14 of whom were football players.
Among those detained is former Galatasaray Sportif AŞ Deputy Chairman Erden Timur.
26 people, including Timur, were detained in operations carried out in 11 provinces centered in Istanbul.
The six suspects mentioned in the investigation are accused of influencing the outcome of the Kasımpaşa-Samsunspor match on October 26, 2024.
14 football players are being investigated on charges of betting on their own team’s match.
Erden Timur is being investigated for “suspicious financial transactions”.
A TFF manager is also detained on the grounds of “suspicious financial transactions” and “having a betting account”.
In the statement made by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, it was noted that the investigation was initiated as a result of the data obtained from MASAK and legal betting sites, open source research, PFDK decisions, HTS analysis studies and examination of digital items seized from other suspects in the previous two operations.
It was determined that one suspect was in prison for another crime, and it was announced at the first stage that efforts were being made to locate two suspects.
Detention decisions
- Bahattin Berke Demircan – Football player
- Doğukan Çınar – Football player
- Ergün Nazlı – Football player
- Eyyüp Can Temiz – Football Player
- Furkan Demir – Football player
- Gökhan Payal – Football player
- Hamit Bayraktar – Football Player
- Hüseyin Aybars Tüfekci – Football Player
- İbrahim Yılmaz – Football player
- İlke Tankul – Football player
- İsmail Karakaş – Football player
- Mert Aktaş – Football player
- Mustafa Çeçenoğlu – Football player
- Tufan Kelleci – Football player
- Erden Timur – Businessman
- Figen Özkaya – Retired
- Emrah Günaydi – Former Police Personnel
- Burak Söyleyen – Restaurant Manager
- Fatih Kulaksız – Eyüpspor Vice President
- Ecem Alkaş – Executive Assistant
- Ecrin Korkmaz
- You are Bilayak
- Mirza Şerifoğlu – Company Partner
- Enes Bartan – Detained
- Hakan Çakır – Civil Servant
- Serhat Ölmez – Office Worker
- Umut Esel – Company Partner
- Buğra Can İmamoğulları – TFF Foreign Relations and National Teams Executive Director
- Burcu Kurt – Production / Assistant Manager
What has happened so far in the legal process?
The Football Betting Operation, carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, started with the statement of the President of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, that some referees were betting.
At the press conference he held on October 27, Hacıosmanoğlu said that 371 of the 571 referees working in professional leagues had a betting account and 152 were actively betting.
TFF announced that 149 of the 152 referees referred to the Professional Disciplinary Board (PFDK) on November 1 were sentenced to deprivation of rights for between 8 and 12 months on the grounds of “betting”.
On December 26, nine more referees were disciplined for placing bets in the last five years. Among these names is Ali Palabıyık, who plays the whistle in the Super League.
During the process, 1022 football players who played in the Super League, 1st, 2nd and 3rd League or were currently without a club were sentenced to deprivation of rights.
Within the scope of these penalties, Galatasaray football players Metehan Baltacı were sentenced to 9 months and Eren Elmalı were sentenced to 45 days of deprivation of rights.
In the statement made by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on December 5, it was stated that there were data obtained from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) presidency and legal betting sites, open source research, and analysis studies and other evidence carried out on 101 football players who were sentenced to deprivation of rights at the meeting of the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) on November 13.
On the same day, 37 suspects, including Galatasaray Sports Club’s football player Metehan Baltacı, Fenerbahçe Sports Club’s football player Mert Hakan Yandaş, senior class referee Zorbay Küçük, football commentator Ahmet Çakar and former Adana Demirspor Sports Club President Murat Sancak, were detained.
Metehan Baltacı, Mert Hakan Yandaş, Murat Sancak, Konyaspor’s Senegalese player Alassane Ndao and Ankaraspor Club Owner Ahmet Okatan were arrested.
Ahmet Çakar, who had health problems, was released on condition of judicial control.
Upper classification referee Zorbay Küçük is among those released under judicial control.
On December 22, the TFF Arbitration Board approved the punishment of 29 football players who were deprived of rights for 45 days due to betting action.
