Turkish football has been rocked by a massive gambling scandal, as the national football federation has temporarily suspended 102 players. On Thursday, 13 November, the Turkish Football Federation announced bans for 25 Super League players and 77 First Division players, with suspension periods ranging from 45 days to one year.
Among the most notable suspensions, Galatasaray and Turkey national team defender Aren Elmalı was banned for 45 days. His club teammate, Turkey U-21 centre-back Metehan Baltacı, received a nine-month ban. Elmalı admitted in a recent Instagram post that he had placed a bet five years ago on a match unrelated to his own team.
The investigation has so far involved over a thousand players, whose cases have been referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board. As a result of the scandal, the third and fourth-tier leagues have been suspended for two weeks, while the Super League and second-tier competitions continue as scheduled.
Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu has pledged to rid Turkish football of corruption, malpractice, and unethical activities. He said, “We will not compromise in our fight to protect Turkish football from corruption and decay. Our goal is to bring Turkish football to its rightful level of excellence.”
This scandal serves as a stark warning and underscores the federation’s commitment to restore integrity and discipline across Turkish football.