Turkish referees' chief arrested in corruption investigation
The head of Turkey's referees' committee is detained along with six others as part of an investigation into corruption. head of Turkey’s referees committee, is among seven people detained in an investigation into alleged mobbing and document forgery
Turkish referees chief Ferhat Gundogdu has been arrested in a corruption investigation, according to Turkish justice minister Akin Gurlek. The police are probing claims of interference in referee classifications, assignments, scoring, and appointment processes, as well as rule examinations. Gundogdu, his vice-president, and four others were apprehended during the operation.
Police conducted searches at homes, workplaces, and offices. Gurlek vowed to pursue a clean football environment, ensuring allegations that damage public trust in Turkish football are exposed, those responsible are held accountable, and the sport is associated with effort, competition, and sportsmanship. In November 2025, the Turkish Football Federation suspended 149 referees and assistant referees following an investigation that revealed hundreds of professional match officials had betting accounts.
Thirty-nine individuals, including 14 footballers, were arrested, but Gurlek did not draw any connection between the 2025 betting scandal and the present investigation.
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