Turkish Football Federation

Istanbul, Türkiye – A massive‍ scandal has rocked Turkish football, with the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspending 149 referees and assistant referees after discovering they held active football betting accounts.‌ The​ sweeping action, the result ⁣of ​a five-year investigation, raises serious questions about the integrity of matches ⁣and appears to validate prior complaints ⁢made by prominent coach Jose Mourinho.

The TFF’s⁣ investigation revealed‍ that of the 571 match officials examined, 371 had betting accounts, with​ 152 actively placing wagers. The extent of the​ betting varied​ widely, from single bets⁤ to one official placing an astonishing 18,227 bets, ⁢and 42 referees betting on over 1,000 matches. Those suspended face a one-year ban from officiating, while investigations continue into ⁤three‌ additional referees.

“There is a⁣ moral​ crisis in​ Turkish ‌football, the‌ basic ‍problem is an ethical one,” stated ⁢TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu.He further⁢ emphasized the federation’s commitment to ⁢its officials, stating, “Just ask any referee, if anyone has not⁣ received thier salary, I will​ resign as president of the federation.In⁣ fact, we ‍have‍ increased their⁤ salaries‌ last ⁣year ‍and this‍ year too.”

The revelations strongly echo concerns voiced by Jose Mourinho during his brief tenure as⁣ coach of fenerbahçe ⁣from July 2024 to August 2025. Mourinho repeatedly criticized refereeing decisions and alleged systemic bias against his team.​ “we are not⁤ competing against the opposing team,we⁤ are fighting the system. And fighting the system is the hardest thing,” he said in early 2025.

prior⁣ to taking the Fenerbahçe position, Mourinho ⁢expressed skepticism about rumors⁣ of corruption within Turkish football. However, he ‍later lamented being ⁢misled about the extent of the problem. “Before coming to Turkey, I heard some gossip, but to be honest I didn’t believe it. However,after⁢ actually coming here,the situation was much more serious than I heard,” he stated. “I have a complaint about the people at fenerbahce who brought me here. They told half the truth and ⁤hid ‍the rest. If‌ I ⁢knew everything, I wouldn’t have come.” ‌Mourinho is currently‍ coaching Benfica.