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The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) referred 152 referees to its disciplinary board for betting on football matches on Tuesday, publicly naming them — including FIFA official Zorbay Kucuk — in one of the country’s largest ethics investigations in the sport’s history.
The TFF’s Legal Counsel announced on Tuesday that the referees were charged with "betting participation," based on findings that 371 of the federation’s 571 registered officials hold betting accounts, and 152 are actively placing bets.
Among those referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) are seven top-tier referees and 15 assistant referees, including FIFA-licensed official Zorbay Kucuk, Egemen Artun, Mehmet Ali Ozer, Melih Kurt, Muhammed Selim Ozbek, Seyfettin Alper Yilmaz, and Yunus Dursun.
TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu first unveiled the scandal on Monday, saying that the disciplinary process began within the federation and that all evidence has been shared with FIFA and UEFA, the sport’s global and European governing bodies.
He said sanctions would be imposed in line with federation rules and national betting laws covering the past five years. Calling the development “deeply upsetting,” Haciosmanoglu noted that referees opening accounts in their own names represented a severe breach of ethics.
He added that new referees will undergo more comprehensive ethical and professional training as part of an effort to rebuild trust in Türkiye’s referee community.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office also confirmed that the case has been merged with a related file previously handled in Antalya, which was opened following complaints by about 10 Süper Lig referees — including FIFA-licensed officials — against members of the Central Referee Board (MHK) and federation staff, alleging mobbing, manipulation of match assignments, and falsification of official documents, noting that Haciosmanoglu’s statements were accepted as a formal report.
According to the office, the initial investigation began in April 2025 following allegations that several referees had placed bets on football matches.
The ongoing proceedings will continue under laws addressing illegal betting, sports ethics, and the prevention of violence and disorder in sports.
Turkish journalist Emrullah Erdinc reported that authorities are examining the financial records of 3,700 footballers, including their official reports from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).
The first comment from a club came from Fenerbahce President Sadettin Saran after the names were made public. Saran said he was not surprised by the inclusion of certain names among those disciplined, particularly that of Zorbay Kucuk.
"More names will come out. This matter will go further," Saran said. "All I can say is, we are following it closely. We will speak when the time comes."
Zorbay Kucuk, 33, is a Turkish football referee who holds a FIFA accreditation and officiates in Türkiye’s top division, the Süper Lig, as well as in European competitions under the auspices of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Since the start of his professional career in the 2015–2016 season, he has officiated 199 matches across professional leagues, including 109 Süper Lig games, two UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers, and one UEFA Champions League qualifier.
In this season, he managed five matches in the Turkish Super Lig and four others in international and domestic competitions — including one in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, one in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers, one in the UEFA Youth League, and one in Türkiye’s First League (1. Lig).
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The investigation is expected to deepen, covering other referees who also hold betting accounts, as well as potential inquiries into players, club executives, and TFF officials who may be linked to the betting scheme.
Under Article 57 of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) Disciplinary Code, anyone who places direct or indirect bets on football matches may be banned from match-related activities for three months to one year. Repeat offenders or those placing large-scale bets face the maximum penalty under the rule.
Meanwhile, under the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Code of Ethics, all officials, referees, players and related persons are prohibited from participating directly or indirectly in betting or having any financial interest in betting on football matches or competitions.
Similarly, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) disciplinary regulations require participants in its competitions to refrain from any behaviour that could compromise the integrity of matches, including illegal betting or match-fixing.
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