15.12.2025 16:31
In the investigation regarding allegations of 'betting' and 'match-fixing' in the world of football, the statement given by sports commentator Ahmet Çakar to the Prosecutor's Office has emerged. In his statement, Çakar said, "I have never placed illegal bets in my life. If I were to bet, I wouldn't have a membership with legal betting sites. I have not placed bets outside of legal betting sites."
The investigation into the allegations of 'betting' and 'match-fixing' involving a number of referees, players, and some club officials, including former Adanademirspor President Murat Sancak, footballers Mert Hakan Yandaş and Metehan Balcı, sports commentator Ahmet Çakar, and referee Zorbay Küçük, is ongoing by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
As part of the investigation, the detention order for the suspect, sports commentator and former referee Ahmet Çakar, was lifted on the grounds of heart problems, and the police were instructed to prepare Çakar for court attendance based on his health condition after his treatment. Çakar had recently come to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan to give a statement to the Prosecutor's Office after completing his treatment in the hospital. Following his statement, Çakar was released under judicial control with a 'travel ban' condition.
"I HAVE NEVER PLACED ILLEGAL BETS IN MY LIFE"
Meanwhile, Çakar's statement to the Prosecutor's Office has emerged. In his statement, Çakar mentioned that he served as a referee between 1980-1998 and was a FIFA-licensed referee between 1992-1998, saying, "I have a membership with legal betting sites. Apart from that, I may have had memberships with other legal betting sites, although I do not remember the exact dates. Since I played very small amounts on these accounts a long time ago, I cannot recall which betting sites I was a member of. I do not have an illegal betting account. I have never placed illegal bets in my life. If I were to bet, I would not have memberships with legal betting sites."
"I AM SUSPICIOUS OF SOME MATCHES"
The Prosecutor's Office asked whether he had any prior knowledge or information about the matches he placed bets on: "When I became suspicious of some matches, I mentioned that some things were abnormal in sports programs as a comment."
In response to the Prosecutor's Office's question about whether he had any prior knowledge or information regarding the matches he placed bets on, Çakar stated, "I am definitely against match-fixing. In fact, I have always talked about the match-fixing offer I received in 1993 on television in the past. The matches I bet on are generally international matches. In these matches, I usually bet on whether there will be over or under goals rather than the match result. I generally bet on European teams and European matches. I have placed bets at a minimum level on the leagues played in our country. I do not have direct knowledge of match-fixing or betting on matches. I only mentioned that some things were abnormal in sports programs when I became suspicious of some matches, but I do not have direct observations or information regarding these."
"MY LAWYER FOUND MY MOBILE PHONE BROKEN"
His mobile phone was found broken: "When I was in custody, my lawyer found my mobile phone broken next to my car when he entered my house to obtain clothing."
Çakar continued his statement by explaining that the mobile phone was not found during the search operations and was later seized in a broken state, saying, "I was dining out one day before I was taken into custody. I returned home at 1 AM. When the police arrived in the morning, I told them I did not know where my phone was. I even indicated to the police that it might be in my car. When I roughly checked my car, I saw that the phone was not there. The police were next to me at that time. When I was in custody, my lawyer found my mobile phone broken next to my car when he entered my house to obtain clothing. My lawyer turned on the phone. The phone remained on for 20 minutes. Then it turned off by itself. According to my lawyer, it was in an unusable condition. I have no information about the fate of the phone. It may have been left in the hospital or lost. I am currently using a phone given to me by my sister. That phone is also not with me right now. I did not place bets outside of legal betting sites. I do not accept the charges against me."