A major betting scandal has rocked Turkish soccer, prompting the Turkish Football Federation to issue temporary bans to 102 players across the country’s top two leagues. The suspensions, announced Thursday, affect 25 players from the Super Lig and 77 from the second-tier first division, with penalties ranging from 45 days to one year.
Among those disciplined are two players from reigning champions Galatasaray. Defender Eren Elmali received a 45-day suspension, while Under-21 centre back Metehan Baltaci was handed a nine-month ban. Elmali acknowledged in a recent Instagram post that he placed a bet on a match five years ago, stressing it did not involve his own team. He only joined Galatasaray this season.
The scandal is widening quickly. More than 1,000 players have so far been referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board as part of the ongoing investigation. In response, the federation has paused play in the third- and fourth-tier leagues for two weeks, although both the Super Lig and the first division will continue competition.
Federation president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said the sweeping crackdown reflects a commitment to cleaning up the sport. “We took office 16 months ago with a promise to elevate Turkish football to the level it deserves,” he said, vowing there would be no compromise in efforts to fight corruption, unethical behavior, or any practice that undermines the integrity of the game.
The investigation marks one of the largest match-fixing and betting probes in Turkish football history and continues to unfold as authorities examine hundreds more cases.