Trabzonspor president among 147 officials suspended in Turkey betting investigation

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended 147 current and former club officials for 45 days for breaching gambling regulations as part of a wider investigation into betting in Turkish football.

The Professional Football Disciplinary Board announced the sanctions on Tuesday following a review of 448 officials suspected of placing bets while holding positions at clubs over the past five seasons, according to Reuters.

Among those sanctioned is Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan, the most prominent figure named in the disciplinary ruling.

The suspended officials are barred from managing club operations, attending official proceedings or carrying out any duties within Turkish football for the duration of their bans.

301 officials escape punishment

The disciplinary board decided not to impose sanctions on the remaining 301 officials after finding insufficient evidence to justify formal action against them.

The investigation began in September when the TFF referred 448 administrators from clubs in the Süper Lig and TFF First League for scrutiny.

At the time, the federation said it had evidence suggesting that the officials had placed bets while serving in their respective club roles.

The latest ruling represents a further step in the governing body’s efforts to address betting-related misconduct within Turkish football.

Sanctions follow wider Turkish football betting scandal

The action against club officials follows a major betting investigation last year that resulted in disciplinary measures against players and referees.

During that earlier probe, the Turkish football authorities suspended 1,024 players and 149 referees over betting infractions.

The latest suspensions extend the federation’s scrutiny beyond those directly involved in matches to administrators who have held positions at clubs across the country’s professional leagues.

The 45-day bans mark the latest development in Turkey’s ongoing efforts to enforce its gambling regulations and address betting-related breaches within the sport.