Operation in eleven provinces
Türkiye: More arrests in football betting scandal
The betting scandal in Turkish football is spreading more and more. Now there are more detentions. A former top Galatasaray official is also among them.
Arrests have been made again in connection with the betting scandal in Turkish football. According to consistent Turkish media reports, arrest warrants were issued against 29 people – including the former vice-president of Galatasaray Istanbul, Erden Timur (44), and an official of the Turkish Football Association.
In a simultaneous operation in eleven provinces, 26 people have already been arrested, including Timur and 14 football players. One person is already in prison for another crime, the search for the remaining two is ongoing, as the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office announced.
When Timur’s bank accounts were checked, it was discovered that he had made suspicious financial transactions. The public prosecutor’s office accuses him of money laundering, game manipulation and illegal betting. The football players would have bet on the outcome of games.
Well over 1,500 people affected
The betting scandal has been shaking Turkish football for several weeks. At the end of October, the Turkish Football Association (TFF) announced allegations that a total of 152 referees were said to have actively placed bets. According to TFF, of the 571 referees who work in the professional leagues, 371 have betting accounts.
Clubs and players are also being investigated: 149 referees and 1,022 players have so far been suspended for the duration of the investigation. 27 players from the Turkish top league Süperlig are affected, including professionals from the top clubs Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Besiktas Istanbul as well as Trabzonspor. Other club bosses are also among the suspects.
dpa
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