The president of Turkey’s Central Referee Board, Ferhat Gundogdu, has been detained as part of a criminal investigation into alleged irregularities within the country’s refereeing system.
Gundogdu was among seven people taken into custody during coordinated police operations in four Turkish provinces on Tuesday, September 29. The operation was coordinated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation is examining allegations of interference in the classification, evaluation and appointment of referees, as well as processes surrounding refereeing examinations.
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said the case was based on complainant and witness statements, expert reports and records obtained through telecommunications and financial investigations. Police also searched homes, workplaces and offices as part of the operation.
Gurlek said the allegations concern possible interference in the formation of referee classifications, assignments, scoring and appointment procedures, together with rule examinations.
The seven people detained include Gundogdu, the president of the Turkish Football Federation Active Referees Association Ferdi Karadoruk, former Central Referee Board vice-president Ahmet Sahin, former board member Yunus Yildirim and board member Sebahattin Sahin.
Also detained were Alican Saglar, an official with the Istanbul branch of the Turkish Referees and Observers Association, and Emre Kosif, president of its Istanbul Provincial Referee Board.
Investigation Focuses on Referee Appointments and Examinations
Reports from Turkey indicate that the investigation also covers claims that certain referees were unfairly excluded from classifications and that referee and observer lists were improperly altered.
Authorities are additionally examining allegations surrounding a rules examination held at the TFF’s Riva facilities, including claims that examination questions and grading procedures were manipulated. These remain allegations under investigation and have not been established as facts by a court.
Gurlek called for accountability as the investigation develops, stressing the importance of public confidence in Turkish football. “We will resolutely continue our fight for clean football,” Gurlek said.
He added that the objective was to ensure allegations that damage confidence in Turkish football are brought to light and that those responsible are held accountable under the law. “Football should be associated with the effort, competition and sportsmanship on the pitch,” the justice minister said.
The latest investigation comes less than a year after Turkish football was rocked by a separate and extensive betting scandal involving referees, players and club officials.
In October 2025, the Turkish Football Federation revealed that 371 of 571 active professional referees had betting accounts, with 152 found to have actively gambled. One referee was reported to have placed 18,227 bets, while 42 had bet on more than 1,000 matches.
The TFF subsequently suspended 149 referees and assistant referees for periods ranging from eight to 12 months. The wider investigation later expanded to players, with more than 1,000 footballers referred for disciplinary action.
However, Turkish authorities have not established a connection between that betting investigation and the current case involving Gundogdu and the six other suspects.
For now, the latest investigation centres on alleged manipulation of refereeing procedures, including classifications, appointments, evaluations and examinations, placing another major test on the credibility of Turkish football’s officiating system.
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