Turkey has temporarily banned 102 players from its top-tier and secondary leagues as a large-scale corruption investigation involving thousands of players and over a hundred referees is underway.
Turkey Continues to Target Suspected Gambling Offenders in Soccer
The Turkish Football Federation has excluded 25 players from the Super Lig and 77 from its first division. The bans range from one to 45 days and are unlikely to be the final actions against suspects.
Galatasaray defender Eren Elmali has been banned for 45 days. He placed a bet on a soccer game not involving his team about five years ago. His teammate, Metehan Baltaci, was suspended for a similar violation. Baltaci acknowledged his mistake on social media, admitting it was wrong to bet on the game even if it couldn’t influence him directly.
New Federation Aims to Eradicate Betting Corruption
Federation president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu is determined to eliminate corruption, stating: “We took office 16 months ago with a promise to elevate Turkish football to the level it deserves. We will not compromise in our fight to protect Turkish football from scandal, decay, and corrupt relationships.”
These bans come amid reports of over 150 referees placing bets frequently, some having multiple accounts and placing thousands of wagers over several years.
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: SCCGManagement.com
