14.08.2025 18:09
Galatasaray Secretary General Eray Yazgan has been charged with illegal betting advertising in connection with a contract he signed, related to the Galatasaray-Çaykur Rizespor football match played in 2024, with a request for up to 3 years in prison.
The General Secretary of Galatasaray Club, Eray Yazgan, has been charged with up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to 3,000 days as part of an investigation into allegations that he promoted betting or gambling by advertising.
INVESTIGATION INTO ILLEGAL BETTING ADVERTISING
In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Yazgan is referred to as "suspect," while the Youth and Sports Ministry's Sports Toto Organization is mentioned as "injured party." The indictment states that an investigation was initiated following a complaint made by the representative of the Sports Toto Organization to the prosecutor's office on September 16, 2024.
The indictment mentions that during the match played between Galatasaray and Çaykur Rizespor on September 14, 2024, advertisements for "meritking.news" were placed on the upper back of the Galatasaray players' jerseys and on the stadium's digital LED boards. According to a letter sent by the Istanbul Provincial Police Department, it was noted that the mentioned website, which is based abroad, provides services for online betting.
'THERE IS NO CONCRETE EVIDENCE'
The indictment also includes Yazgan's statement.
According to this, Yazgan stated that he signed the sponsorship agreement in question both on behalf of Sportif AŞ and the sports club, saying, "We signed for the advertisement of the internet news site named meritking.news to be used on jerseys and various areas. We have no knowledge that the website is related to illegal betting. There is still no concrete evidence that has been reflected in the public regarding the website's connection to illegal betting. After the sponsorship negotiations, we consulted the Turkish Football Federation about whether we could advertise this site. The Football Federation did not express an opinion that the advertisement of the site would not be used. Therefore, we signed the sponsorship agreement with the thought that the mentioned website is a news site."
'NO MATERIAL BENEFIT HAS BEEN OBTAINED'
Yazgan stated that during the football match played on September 14, 2024, against Çaykur Rizespor, the advertisement of the site was used both on the back of the jersey and in the stadium, and continued:
"Subsequently, on September 16, 2024, a notice was sent to our company from Net Holding, stating that they have hotels named merit, that this sponsorship agreement constitutes a brand infringement, and that there are illegal betting sites named merit. Following our evaluation, we suspended the sponsorship agreement on September 17, 2024, and did not use the site's advertisements in the match we played on the same day. On September 30, 2024, we terminated the sponsorship agreement. Our club has not obtained any material benefit from this sponsorship agreement. It is unacceptable for the Galatasaray community, which has a 119-year history, to be associated with any illegal betting or similar issues."
The indictment states that the advertisement in question was made as a result of negotiations and a signed contract by Yazgan on behalf of Galatasaray Sports Club, indicating that Yazgan is responsible for the alleged crime.
UP TO 3 YEARS IN PRISON IS REQUESTED
The indictment requests that Yazgan be sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to 3,000 days for the crime of "violating Article 5 of Law No. 7258 on the Regulation of Betting and Gambling in Football and Other Sports Competitions." The indictment prepared against Yazgan has been accepted by the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance.
GALATASARAY'S STATEMENT
Galatasaray Club issued a statement regarding the investigation related to a sponsorship agreement signed last season.
In the statement made by the yellow-red club, the following expressions were used:
"Last year, a sponsorship agreement was proposed to our sponsorship unit by a media agency and signed with a digital sports news platform in accordance with the written permission of the Turkish Football Federation. This agreement was immediately terminated by us after the said permission was revoked by the TFF. It is documented that our club did not obtain any material benefit from this agreement. Today, news has appeared in the press regarding a lawsuit filed against our Club's General Secretary, Mr. Eray Yazgan.
The mentioned lawsuit is related to the contract signed by Mr. Yazgan on behalf of our club's affiliated company, Galatasaray Sportif AŞ, and the legal process regarding this matter is being meticulously followed. Galatasaray Sports Club continues to act with the principles of transparency, responsibility, and respect for the law, as it has in its 120-year honorable history. It is absolutely unacceptable for our club and our club's values to be associated with illegal betting or similar illicit activities.
We firmly believe that with the emergence of the facts at the end of the process, the name of Galatasaray will not remain under any shadow of suspicion. Legal processes will be initiated without delay and without exception against individuals and institutions that dare to conduct smear and defamation campaigns targeting Galatasaray through this lawsuit."