Turkish refereeing arrests deepen football governance scrutiny

Turkish authorities have arrested the president of the country’s football refereeing body, his deputy and five other people in an investigation into alleged interference with the systems used to classify, assess and appoint referees.Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced the arrests on September 29, saying investigators had examined allegations involving referee assignments, scoring, appointment procedures and examinations on the rules of the game.Gurlek said: “Claims regarding interference in the formation of referee classifications, assignments, scoring and appointment processes, as well as rule examinations, have been investigated.“We will steadfastly continue the fight for clean football so that claims undermining trust in Turkish football are clarified, those responsible are held accountable before the law, and football is remembered for the effort, struggle, and sportsmanship on the field.”Ferhat Gundogdu, president of the refereeing body, was among those arrested, with searches carried out at the suspects’ homes, workplaces and offices as part of the investigation.The allegations concern the administration of refereeing rather than an announced finding about any particular match, with the minister providing no further details about the alleged conduct or the evidence gathered.The arrests place scrutiny on procedures central to competition integrity, including how officials progress through classifications, receive performance assessments and are selected for appointments across professional football.Gurlek presented the investigation as an effort to restore trust in Turkish football, although the arrests do not establish guilt and the allegations remain subject to the legal process.The development follows a separate betting scandal in which the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees and assistant referees during 2025 over alleged involvement in gambling.That investigation found that 371 of the 571 referees officiating in professional leagues held betting accounts, with 152 identified as having actively placed bets.The wider scandal led to the arrest of 29 people, including 14 footballers, while more than 1,000 players were suspended, including 25 from the top division.Turkish authorities also detained 17 club officials in July as an investigation into alleged illegal betting and match-fixing widened, adding to the governance challenges facing the country’s football institutions.Gurlek did not establish any connection between the latest arrests and those earlier investigations, leaving their relationship unclear rather than confirming that they form part of the same case.The scrutiny comes as Turkiye prepares to co-host UEFA EURO 2032 with Italy, placing the credibility of football administration alongside the country’s preparations for a major international tournament.The immediate focus remains the investigation into referee administration, with no further details announced about its scope or any operational changes following the arrests.