30.10.2025 16:51
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke for the first time about the football betting scandal that has been occupying the agenda during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Emphasizing that the state will take the necessary actions, Erdoğan stated, "Recently, there has been an incident involving referees. A state cannot just sit idly by while observing what is happening on football fields. It must do whatever is necessary."
President Erdoğan made his first assessment regarding the recent betting allegations involving referees, which have been occupying the agenda, during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Merz.
"WE CANNOT JUST STAND BY AND WATCH"
Emphasizing that the state will do what is necessary, President Erdoğan stated, "Recently, a referees incident has emerged. A state cannot just stand by and watch what is happening on football fields. It must do what is necessary, and this has been done. The citizens are very happy to see this development in the stands. They have started to say, 'What is happening, what is happening?'"
WHAT HAD HAPPENED?
The Turkish Football Federation's Legal Board had referred 152 referees to the Professional Football Discipline Board for allegedly participating in betting. Among the list were 7 top-class referees who officiated in Super League and 1st League matches. In addition to these names, 15 top-class assistant referees, 36 class referees, and 94 class assistant referees were also referred to the PFDK.
Following the statements made by Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu regarding the referees' involvement in betting, an investigation was initiated. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that it accepted Hacıosmanoğlu's statements as a tip-off and that work had begun.
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that they had started to obtain records related to the betting scandal, including the last 5 years of MASAK reports, HTS records, subscription records of accessible domestic and foreign betting sites, and records regarding the betting activities on these sites, as well as witness statements.