Turkish refereeing authority leader detained amid graft probe

The president of Turkey’s refereeing authority has been taken into custody amid a police corruption probe.

Justice Minister Akin Gürlek stated that the inquiry examines allegations of meddling in referee grading, match assignments, scoring, appointments and certification exams.

Among those detained are Ferhat Güngördü, head of the referees’ council, his deputy and five additional individuals.

Gürlek added that officers carried out searches at residences, workplaces and offices.

“We will relentlessly pursue a clean game, ensuring that accusations undermining confidence in Turkish football are exposed, wrongdoers face legal consequences, and the sport reflects effort, competition and fair play on the field,” Gürlek said.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) reported that investigators examined the VAR facility at its Istanbul headquarters on Tuesday.

The federation rejected claims that digital evidence had been erased prior to the inspection and later retrieved by investigators.

It affirmed its cooperation with the probe and announced plans to lodge criminal complaints against misinformation spread online.

In November 2025 the TFF suspended 149 referees and assistant referees after an inquiry revealed that hundreds of Turkish match officials maintained betting accounts.

Around 29 individuals were detained in the wider betting scandal, among them 14 players.

However, Gürlek stressed that there is no connection between last year’s betting affair and the present probe.

Source link