The president, vice-president and five other members of the Turkish Football Federation’s Central Referees’ Committee have been detained following allegations of interference in refereeing-related procedures.

Ferhat Gündoğdu and others were arrested on Tuesday for allegations relating to the classification of referees and the allocation of duties as well as the assessment, appointment and testing procedures under arbitration laws.

Turkey’s Justice Minister Akin Gürlek added that the move is part of the “fight for clean football”.

Gürlek explained that the authorities had heard statements from complainants and witnesses, consulted expert reports, and examined communications records and financial data provided by the Turkish Financial Crimes Investigation Board.

However, the minister did not disclose the nature of the alleged interference or the specific facts underlying the investigation, nor did he clarify whether the case was linked to any particular matches.

In his X post, he wrote:

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.

Media outlets citing Anadolu news agency have reported:

Police seized 125 folders containing exam papers, an income-and-expense statement and association records at the referees’ association headquarters in Istanbul’s Üsküdar district.

Featured image via Tunahan KALAYCI/ Pexels

By Alaa Shamali

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