Turkish football betting scandal: 1,024 players, 149 referees and ...

Analysis # Turkish football betting scandal: 1,024 players, 149 referees and ‘draining the swamp’ Galatasaray defender Eren Elmali says he is not guilty of any betting offences after being suspended by the Turkish Football FederationGetty Images By [Tom Burrows](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/tom-burrows/) Turkish football was already reeling from the betting scandal that implicated hundreds of their match officials last month. Now, it is the turn of the players to be at the centre of the storm, after [1,024 of them were suspended by the Turkish Football Federation](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6797300/2025/11/11/turkey-betting-galatasaray-besiktas/) (TFF) as part of the same investigation. Advertisement [In a statement](https://www.tff.org/default.aspx?pageID=1294&ftxtID=48956), the TFF said the players were found to have participated in betting activities and had been referred to its Professional Football Disciplinary Board. T*he Athletic* breaks down the latest developments, and what the implications could be. --- ### **What happened on Monday?** In its press statement, the TFF said it had suspended 1,024 players as part of an investigation into betting in professional football leagues. The list, which the TFF published as [a PDF file](https://www.tff.org/Resources/TFF/Auto/ce469430aa4642b7836e0efdd02462b4.pdf) on its official website, included 27 players who represent clubs in the Super Lig, Turkey’s top division. Those 27 were spread across 14 of the 18 top-flight teams, including two at current champions Galatasaray. Alanyaspor had four, plus two each from Besiktas, Konyaspor, Kayserispor, Caykur Rizespor, Gaziantep, Goztepe, Kasimpasa, Trabzonspor and Fatih Karagumruk, and one apiece at Antalyaspor, Eyupspor and Samsunspor. The remaining 997 were made up of players from the lower divisions of Turkish football, including the 1. Lig, 2. Lig and 3. Lig — its second, third and fourth tiers. The TFF also announced that while the Super L