TFF refers 448 club officials to disciplinary board over betting

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has referred 448 club officials to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) after determining they placed bets over the past five years. The sweep covers Süper Lig and 1. Lig clubs, including Beşiktaş, Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Trabzonspor and Antalyaspor.

Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan was among those referred. In a live broadcast on A Spor, Doğan said he had a previously closed betting account opened when betting firms were club sponsors, denied any intent to violate rules, and pledged to present a defence.

“If there was a mistake on our part, forgive us, but there was no mistake. We will present a defence.”

Trabzonspor saw 13 officials referred in total, including Doğan, Yalçın Orhan, Zeyyat Kafkas, Murat İskender, Kemal Ertürk, Taner Fikret Saral, Lokman Sadıklar, Şenol Kaynar, Abdulkadir Ferda Başkan, Semih Hekimoğlu, Derviş Köz, İbrahim Şahinkaya and Ceyhun Eskici.

Bolu club had 37 officials referred, the largest single-club contingent identified so far. The referrals were made under Article 57 of the Football Disciplinary Instruction, which prohibits club officials from betting. The PFDK will now hear defences before deciding on sanctions.