Turkish football was plunged into chaos on the morning of Friday, 2025, following a sweeping operation coordinated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Authorities have detained 35 individuals in a massive crackdown on illegal betting and match-fixing allegations that reach the highest tiers of the sport. The investigation, which spans 16 different provinces, targets a wide array of figures, including high-profile players from Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, club presidents, referees, and prominent television commentators.
According to a report by the news outlet Kısa Dalga, the operation targeted not only 2nd league players but also household names in the Super Lig. Among those taken into custody are former referee and popular sports commentator Ahmet Çakar, Fenerbahçe midfielder Mert Hakan Yandaş, Galatasaray defender Metehan Baltacı, and former Adana Demirspor President Murat Sancak. When confronted by reporters while being escorted to a health check, Ahmet Çakar responded to questions regarding the reason for his detention with a brief, "I don't know."
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office released a detailed statement outlining that this operation constitutes the "second part" of an ongoing series of probes known publicly as the "Football Betting Investigations." The warrants were issued based on extensive data analysis from MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board), open-source intelligence, and a review of 101 players previously sanctioned by the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK) in November 2025.
The allegations are specific and severe. Authorities claim that 27 professional players, including Galatasaray’s Metehan Baltacı, were detected betting on matches involving their own teams. Furthermore, Fenerbahçe’s Mert Hakan Yandaş is accused of placing bets on legal betting sites through third-party proxies to conceal his identity.
Beyond individual betting, the investigation has uncovered alleged match-fixing rings. Officials identified five suspects, including Ankaraspor owner Ahmet Okatan and Nazilli Belediyespor President Şahin Kaya, linked to manipulating the result of the Ankaraspor-Nazilli Belediyespor match played on April 28, 2024. Similarly, six individuals were identified regarding an agreement to influence the outcome of the Ümraniyespor-Giresunspor match on December 24, 2023.
The probe also scrutinized financial records, leading to allegations of suspicious transactions involving high-profile figures. This branch of the investigation implicates former Adana Demirspor President Murat Sancak, commentator Ahmet Çakar and his wife, and top-tier referee Zorbay Küçük.
The Betting Scandal in Turkish Football
This latest wave of detentions marks a significant escalation in the fight against corruption within Turkish sports. The operation was executed under Law No. 6222 on the "Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports," a statute often used to police stadium conduct but now being utilized to dismantle systemic corruption.
While 35 suspects are currently in police custody undergoing interrogation at the Istanbul Police Headquarters, authorities have confirmed that the total list of suspects numbers 46. Five of the identified individuals have been confirmed to be currently residing abroad, complicating the legal process. As police continue their efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects, the Turkish Football Federation faces one of the most challenging periods in its history, with the integrity of the league under intense scrutiny.