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The president of Turkey’s Central Refereeing Committee, Ferhat Gundogdu, has been arrested alongside six others as part of a police investigation into alleged corruption in Turkish football.
Gundogdu, the committee’s vice-president and five other officials were arrested following an investigation into alleged interference in referee classifications, appointments, scoring and examination processes.
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said police searched homes, workplaces and offices as part of the operation.
The investigation is examining claims involving the formation of referee classifications, referee assignments, scoring and appointment processes, as well as rule examinations, Gurlek said.
“We will resolutely continue our fight for clean football so that allegations damaging trust in Turkish football are brought to light, those responsible are held accountable before the law, and football is associated with the effort, competition and sportsmanship on the pitch,” Gurlek said.
Turkish media reports said the investigation also involves allegations of official document forgery and workplace harassment, although authorities have not established any link between the case and last year’s betting scandal.
The latest investigation comes less than a year after Turkish football was hit by a major refereeing betting scandal.
In November 2025, the Turkish Football Federation suspended 149 referees and assistant referees after an investigation found that hundreds of professional match officials had betting accounts.
About 29 people were subsequently arrested in connection with that investigation, including 14 footballers.
However, Gurlek did not link the current investigation to the 2025 betting case.
The latest arrests add to scrutiny of the administration of refereeing in Turkish football, with the investigation continuing into the allegations surrounding classifications, appointments and examination procedures.
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