Sports
Caught in web, TFF struggles to restore trust amid betting scandal
Turkish football has been thrust into its most serious integrity crisis in decades after a sweeping investigation uncovered widespread illegal betting involving referees, players and senior club officials, triggering mass suspensions, criminal arrests and deepening concerns over the credibility of domestic competitions.
The probe, known in Türkiye as the “futbolda bahis” investigation, is being conducted jointly by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
As of Dec. 30, 2025, it has resulted in more than a thousand disciplinary cases, multiple nationwide arrest operations and significant disruption to professional leagues, particularly outside the top flight.
Warning signs had been building early in 2025.
In February, FIFA-listed referee Yaşar Kemal Uğurlu resigned after allegations that he had gambled at a casino in Northern Cyprus, an incident that initially appeared isolated but soon exposed deeper concerns within the refereeing system.
By September, several referees had lodged formal complaints accusing the Central Referees Committee of biased appointments and internal pressure, prompting judicial inquiries that were eventually consolidated in Istanbul and expanded to include financial and communications analysis.
Following his election, TFF President Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu ordered a comprehensive audit of referees’ financial activity, focusing on betting accounts and transaction histories.
FIFA, UEFA and Turkish law strictly prohibit football officials from gambling on matches, with Turkish legislation allowing prison sentences of up to 12 years in organized match-manipulation cases.
The scale of the problem became public on Oct. 27, when Hacıosmanoğlu revealed that 371 of 571 professional referees held registered betting accounts and that 152 had actively placed bets on football, including Süper Lig and lower-division matches.
Investigators found extreme cases in which referees placed thousands of wagers, including one official who bet more than 18,000 times.
The disclosure stunned the football community and triggered immediate disciplinary action.
The Turkish Football Federation moved swiftly, invoking its Football Discipline Instruction to impose suspensions that effectively ended many careers.
By late October and through December, more than 150 referees received bans ranging from eight to 12 months, while over 1,000 players across all divisions were referred to the Professional Football Discipline Board.
Additional waves followed, including the referral of hundreds of regional referees and observers.
The cumulative effect forced the postponement of TFF 2. Lig and TFF 3. Lig matches for two weeks due to squad shortages, while appeals for an emergency transfer window were rejected.
On Dec. 29, the TFF Arbitration Board upheld suspensions for 70 footballers, confirming penalties ranging from three to 12 months and rejecting all appeals.
The board ruled that betting violations were clearly established and that disciplinary procedures had been correctly applied, making the bans final.
Running alongside the sporting sanctions, prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into illegal betting, match manipulation and money laundering, supported by intelligence from MASAK, licensed betting platforms, telecommunications data and digital evidence seized during earlier operations.
The inquiry expanded rapidly through successive arrest waves.
The first operation in early November focused on referees and club officials, resulting in eight arrests.
A second wave in early December targeted suspicious match patterns and third-party betting arrangements, detaining dozens of suspects including professional players and former executives.
The most significant escalation came between Dec. 26 and 30, when coordinated raids across 11 provinces led to 29 detentions and 18 arrests, among them Eyüpspor vice president Fatih Kulaksız and 14 professional footballers.
TFF External Relations and National Teams Administrative Director Buğra Cem İmamoğulları was questioned and later released.
Prosecutors linked several suspects to betting activity surrounding the Oct. 26, 2024, Kasımpaşa-Samsunspor match, citing financial trails and messaging records suggesting wagers placed on match outcomes and in-game incidents.
Evidence also included third-party betting and communication between players discussing betting behavior.
One of the most high-profile cases involved former Galatasaray executive Erden Timur, whose file was separated from the betting investigation and transferred to a specialized bureau on money laundering charges.
Prosecutors cited large cryptocurrency transfers and nearly TL 1 billion ($23.3 million) in unexplained financial movements, raising the scope of the scandal beyond football-related offenses.
Timur has denied wrongdoing.
The fallout has shaken Turkish football at every level.
Major clubs including Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor have publicly demanded transparency over affected matches, while political figures and former national team coaches questioned the integrity of previous seasons.
Some players and referees have argued that their betting activity occurred during amateur periods or did not influence matches, but authorities maintain that any football-related betting constitutes a serious integrity violation.
The TFF has pledged reforms, including mandatory ethics education, enhanced monitoring of betting activity and closer coordination with law enforcement.
Still, officials acknowledge that the scandal has exposed deep structural weaknesses in oversight and accountability.
With criminal proceedings ongoing and further disciplinary actions expected in 2026, Turkish football faces a prolonged effort to restore trust in a system that has been fundamentally shaken by the scale of the revelations.
Fenerbahçe jeopardized their hopes of reaching the round of 16 on Thursday, falling 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League playoff.
The win marked a dream start for Forest’s new coach, Vitor Pereira, who became their fourth boss this season after agreeing an 18-month deal to replace the sacked Sean Dyche on Sunday.
The hostile Istanbul atmosphere was not new to the Portuguese, who had also coached Fenerbahçe two times in the past.
The game at the Chobani Stadium also saw a duel of former Manchester City goalkeepers Stefan Ortega of Forest and Ederson of Fenerbahçe.
Making things worse for the Turkish side, Jayden Oosterwolde and Fred picked up yellow cards and will miss the return leg through suspension. Meanwhile, Milan Skriniar was forced off with an injury, and the star center-back is set to undergo an MRI scan.
Murillo opened the scoring after a solo run from midfield in the 21st minute.
Forest struck again in the 43rd minute.
Morgan Gibbs-White flicked on Elliot Anderson’s corner at the near post and Igor Jesus pounced to head in from virtually on the goal-line.
Jesus’ seventh goal in the Europa League this season sucked the spirit from Fenerbahçe and Gibbs-White notched Forest’s third goal in the 50th minute.
Jesus beat the offside trap and unselfishly squared to Gibbs-White, who slotted home despite losing his footing while shooting.
Forest’s dominant display puts them in pole position to finish the job in the second leg at the City Ground on Feb. 26.
The winner of the tie will play Real Betis or Midtjylland.
“I realized before I came that the players have a lot of quality. They need results but they need to enjoy the game,” Pereira said after the match.
“If they enjoy the way they are playing, they can have a high level. They need just organization and confidence.
“I asked them to express themselves on the pitch. They did it. It was a very good result.”
Perched perilously just three points above the Premier League relegation zone, Forest’s main aim is to avoid dropping into the Championship.
But extending their first European campaign since 1995-96 would be a notable feat for a club starved off continental success since the Brian Clough era.
Pereira had been out of work since being sacked by Wolves in November after a dismal start to this season.
In Thursday’s other early first-leg ties, Santiago Castro’s ninth-minute goal gave Italian side Bologna a 1-0 win at Norway’s Brann.
Zakaria El Ouahdi inspired Genk’s 3-1 win at Dinamo Zagreb.
Bryan Heynen put the Belgian club ahead in the 15th minute and Morocco wing-back El Ouahdi doubled the visitors’ lead six minutes later.
Dion Beljo got one back in the 44th minute, but El Ouahdi bagged his second goal in second-half stoppage-time.
Iago Aspas and Williot Swedberg scored in the first half to fire Celta Vigo to a 2-1 victory at PAOK, who reduced the deficit through Alexander Jeremejeff after the interval.
Later on Thursday, Celtic boss Martin O’Neill was to take charge of the 1,000th match of his managerial career as Stuttgart visited Glasgow.
Lille was to host Red Star Belgrade, Ludogorets Razgrad faced Ferencvaros and Panathinaikos met Viktoria Plzen.
Norway’s Bodo/Glimt shocked Inter Milan with a 3-1 home win over last season’s runners-up in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout-phase playoff on Wednesday, while Anthony Gordon scored four goals as Newcastle United routed Qarabag 6-1 away.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid were held by Club Brugge in a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Bayer Leverkusen took a big step toward reaching the last 16 by beating Olympiacos 2-0 away in Greece.
Bodo/Glimt, Norwegian champions in four of the last six years, made it to this stage after some impressive results during the league phase, including wins at home to Manchester City and away to Atletico in their last two games.
The club from north of the Arctic Circle were therefore not afraid of the current Serie A leaders and went in front in the 20th minute through Sondre Brunstad Fet.
Francesco Pio Esposito equalized on the half-hour mark for three-time European champions Inter, the goal standing after a VAR check despite an apparent handball in the build-up.
However, Bodo/Glimt went back in front just after the hour when Kasper Hogh’s brilliant lay-off set up Jens Petter Hauge to score and Hogh found the net himself three minutes later.
The result leaves Inter, who lost 5-0 to PSG in last season’s Champions League final, facing a big challenge to overturn their two-goal deficit in next Tuesday’s return leg at San Siro.
The winners of the tie will play either Manchester City or Sporting of Portugal in the last 16 next month.
Newcastle made short work of Qarabag on their long trip to Baku, with the outstanding Gordon netting two penalties among his four goals on the night – he now has 10 goals in nine matches in this season’s Champions League, a tally bettered only by Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe on 13.
Schick double, Atletico held
Gordon’s clinical finish gave Newcastle a third-minute lead at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium and Malick Thiaw headed in for 2-0 after just eight minutes.
Former Everton winger Gordon then converted a penalty awarded for a handball just after the half-hour mark and pounced on poor defending a minute later to complete his first professional hat trick.
He then added a penalty for his fourth and his team’s fifth in first-half stoppage time, with Jacob Murphy getting the visitors’ sixth in the second half after Elvin Jafarguliyev had pulled one back.
Next week’s return at St. James’ Park should now be a mere formality, with a last-16 tie to come against Barcelona or Chelsea.
“It’s a tribute to the team today. We were really good in the first half. That’s as good as we have played in a long time,” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said.
“I know the tie isn’t over, but we are in a great position.”
In Belgium, Club Brugge came from 2-0 and then 3-2 down to earn a draw with Atletico and keep their playoff tie firmly in the balance ahead of next week’s second leg.
Julian Alvarez gave the Spaniards an early lead from the penalty spot at the Jan Breydelstadion and Ademola Lookman finished from close range after Antoine Griezmann had flicked on an Alvarez corner in first-half stoppage time.
Nigeria’s Raphael Onyedika pulled one back just after the break for the hosts and Nicolo Tresoldi equalized on the hour mark.
Atletico appeared to have won the game when Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez turned a cross into his own net, but Christos Tzolis made it 3-3 in the 89th minute.
“It was a rollercoaster, like it’s been all season. We have to concentrate more,” Atletico captain Koke told broadcaster Movistar – his side are fourth in La Liga, well off the pace at the top, but hammered Barcelona 4-0 in their Copa del Rey semifinal first leg last week.
Leverkusen were seeking to avenge a 2-0 defeat away to Olympiacos last month as they returned to Piraeus, and this time they were the winners by the same margin as Czech striker Patrik Schick scored twice in the space of four minutes around the hour mark.
Eight of the nine skiers missing in California after an avalanche have been found dead and one remains missing in horrific blizzard conditions, police said Wednesday.
Rescuers have been desperately searching for the group, which was caught in the avalanche early Tuesday on Castle Peak in the Tahoe area. Earlier, six skiers were found alive, two of them being taken to hospital.
“We are still looking for one of the members at this time,” Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said, cautioning that the storm is hampering any movement.
“Extreme weather conditions I would say is an understatement: lots of snow, gale-force winds, winds making it impossible to see,” Moon said.
Sugar Bowl Academy said multiple victims were linked to the private, ski-focused school, without identifying the people.
“We are an incredibly close and connected community. This tragedy has affected each and every one of us,” Stephen McMahon, the school’s executive director, said in a statement.
“The best thing we can do is surround our athletes and families with care and support while providing the necessary space and time for grief and healing.”
Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company leading the doomed backcountry trip, said the 11 clients and four guides had been staying at the Frog Lake huts since Sunday and were “in the process of returning” back to base.
Over 40 first responders launched the search, according to officials, including “highly skilled rescue ski teams” from both Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center.
But after quickly finding the six known survivors, the teams came up empty handed.
Experts had warned of severe avalanche risk.
And Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo pleaded with the public to stay away until the weather clears.
“Please avoid the Sierras during this current storm and in the upcoming days, avoid mountain travel. It’s treacherous.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the operation.
A powerful storm packing several feet of snow has continued to pummel the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Sugar Bowl Resort, in the immediate area, is reporting 67 inches (1.7 meters) of snowfall there in the past week, including 30 inches from Tuesday to mid-day Wednesday.
The National Weather Service said parts of the Sierra Nevadas above 3,500 feet could see up to eight feet of snow, with wind gusts as strong as 55 miles (90 kilometers) an hour.
Sheriff’s office Captain Russell Green also told local station KCRA that backcountry skiing is inherently dangerous.
“People go out and use the backcountry at all times,” Green said. “We advise against it, obviously, but I wouldn’t say that it’s uncommon. Not that it was a wise choice.”
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has tallied six U.S. avalanche fatalities so far this season, including one in Castle Peak in January.
U.S. ski star Mikaela Shiffrin ended her Olympic medal drought in style with gold in the slalom on Wednesday as snowboarder Su Yiming won China’s first title of the Milan-Cortina Games.
Shiffrin is one of skiing’s all-time greats, but she has had to wait eight years since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games for the third gold of her glittering career.
In the final alpine skiing event in Italy, her emotional victory brought some solace to a U.S. ski team still reeling from Lindsey Vonn’s horrific crash in the downhill.
The 30-year-old led after the first run in glorious conditions in Cortina d’Ampezzo and cruised to victory in a combined time of 1min 39.10sec, an impressive 1.5sec ahead of Switzerland’s world champion Camille Rast.
Sweden’s Anna Swenn Larsson rounded out the podium to claim the first Olympic medal of her career.
Shiffrin shed a tear after a victory that will help banish the bitter memories of both her last Olympics in Beijing – where she failed to pick up a single medal from six races – and her disappointing displays in the team combined and giant slalom in northern Italy.
“I wanted to be free, I wanted to unleash,” said the American. “It’s not easy to do that, but I’ve been so focused every single day.
“Through a lot of discussions with my psychologist and my mum and my team, everything we said was that, despite pressure or nerves, I want to feel this skiing.
“In the end, today, showing up – that was the thing I wanted most. More than the medal. Now, to also get to have a medal is unbelievable.”
China’s gold at last
Team China amassed nine gold medals on home soil at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, but until Wednesday they were yet to win a single title at the Milan-Cortina Games.
Su changed that, winning the snowboard slopestyle gold after losing his big air crown earlier in these Games – and for good measure, it came on his 22nd birthday and as China celebrates Lunar New Year.
He scored 82.41 points on his first run of three at a sun-soaked Livigno Snow Park and was never caught, upgrading the silver he won four years ago.
Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa took silver and Jake Canter of the U.S. won bronze.
“There’s no better way, you know, this is like the best ever,” said Su. “I was actually thinking there’s no better gift for myself for my 22nd birthday, so I really appreciate it.”
Two hours later, China had another gold as freestyle skier Xu Mengtao won the women’s aerials final.
The U.S. and pre-tournament favorites Canada stayed on track to meet in the Olympic men’s ice hockey final as they reached the semi-finals, although both needed overtime to do it.
Mitch Marner scored the crucial overtime goal as Canada saw off the Czech Republic 4-3 in their quarter-final.
The Americans were also made to fight till the end against Sweden before Quinn Hughes netted 3min 27 sec into overtime for a 2-1 victory in front of thousands of U.S. supporters in Milan’s Santagiulia Arena.
Canada goes on to face reigning champions Finland and the U.S. will play Slovakia, with both semi-finals on Friday.
Klaebo in class of own
Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Klaebo won the 10th Olympic gold medal of his career, extending the all-time record he set earlier in the Games.
The only athlete in Winter or Summer Games history with more Olympic titles is American swimmer Michael Phelps, who won 23 golds.
Klaebo and his Norwegian teammate Einar Hedegart comfortably won the team sprint free event, with Klaebo slowing before the finish line to soak up the applause of the crowd.
It was 29-year-old Klaebo’s fifth gold medal of these Games alone, meaning he has won every event he has entered – and he has one more to go.
Norway has a huge lead atop of the medals table with 15 golds and 33 overall. Hosts Italy are in second spot with nine golds and a total of 26 medals while the U.S. are third with seven golds and 24 medals.
Tiger Woods is still on the mend, but he is not closing the door on Augusta.
The 15-time major champion, recovering from back surgery last October, said Tuesday he has no firm timetable for his return yet has not ruled out playing in this year’s Masters.
Woods, who has not competed since missing the cut at the 2024 British Open, spoke to reporters ahead of the Genesis Invitational in Pacific Palisades, California, where he serves as tournament host. Asked whether the April 9-12 Masters was off the table, he paused and grinned.
“No,” Woods said.
The 48-year-old has endured a long rehabilitation stretch. In March 2025, he underwent surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon. Last December, he was cleared to resume chipping and putting for the first time since undergoing lumbar disc replacement surgery.
There is still no set date for his comeback, but the five-time Masters champion made one thing clear: Augusta remains a possibility.
As for his Achilles, Woods said it is no longer an issue, but his back remains sore.
“As far as the disc replacement, it’s just sore. It takes time,” Woods said. “My body has been through a lot. It’s just one of those things where it’s each and every day. I keep trying, I keep progressing, I keep working on it, trying to get stronger, trying to get more endurance in this body and trying to get it at a level at which I can play at the highest level again.”
Despite not having competed since July 2024, Woods has been keeping busy as a PGA Tour policy board player-director and as vice chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises.
The 48-year-old is also trying to decide whether to take on more responsibility after he said the PGA of America asked for his input on the 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy and whether he would want the job.
“Yeah, they have asked me for my input on it, and I haven’t made my decision yet,” Woods said Tuesday. “I’m trying to figure out what we’re trying to do with our tour.
“That’s been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, Team USA, and our players and everyone that’s going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time.”
Woods turned down the U.S. captaincy for the 2025 Ryder Cup because of time constraints and responsibilities to the PGA Tour but added at the time that it did not mean he would never lead the team in the future.
Fenerbahçe host Nottingham Forest on Thursday night in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 16 playoff, aiming to take a decisive step toward the last 16.
The match at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium kicks off at 8:45 p.m. local time.
It will be the first-ever meeting between the two clubs. The winner over two legs will face either FC Midtjylland or Real Betis in the next round.
Fenerbahçe’s European quest
Fenerbahçe’s path to the playoffs was uneven. They collected 12 points from eight league phase matches, finishing 19th after winning just one of their final five European games. A narrow 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa exposed defensive lapses, and a 1-1 draw with FCSB confirmed they would need an extra hurdle to reach the last 16.
Yet their home record in Europe remains a pillar of confidence. Before the Villa loss, they were unbeaten in five straight continental matches in Kadıköy. They have never lost consecutive home fixtures in European competition, a statistic that reinforces the importance of taking control in Istanbul.
Domestically, the picture is far brighter. Under Domenico Tedesco, Fenerbahçe are unbeaten through 22 Super Lig matches and have won their last four league games, scoring 11 goals in the process. They remain within three points of leaders Galatasaray, keeping alive hopes of a first league title since 2014. Momentum is on their side.
Forest under pressure
For Nottingham Forest, this tie marks the beginning of a new chapter. Owner Evangelos Marinakis has already dismissed three managers this season before appointing Vitor Pereira to an 18-month contract.
The Portuguese coach takes charge for the first time in a high-stakes European away match.
Forest finished 13th in the 36-team league phase table with 14 points, just two shy of automatic qualification.
They won four matches, drew twice and lost twice, including an emphatic 4-0 victory over Ferencvaros in their final league phase outing. Their away form produced five points from four games, showing they can compete on the road.
However, their domestic situation adds urgency. Forest sit 17th in the Premier League, only three points above the relegation zone.
Pereira has built a reputation for fast starts, winning his opening match in each of his last seven managerial roles. He now faces Fenerbahçe, a club he previously managed in two separate spells, adding emotional weight to his debut.
Tactical battles
Fenerbahçe will be without Edson Alvarez following ankle surgery. Archie Brown has returned to training but is not expected to feature. Nelson Semedo and Oğuz Aydın are one booking away from suspension and risk missing the return leg in England if cautioned.
January additions have strengthened the squad. N’Golo Kante and Matteo Guendouzi are expected to anchor midfield, likely alongside Fred or İsmail Yüksek, providing balance between defensive steel and forward thrust. In defense, Milan Skriniar is set to lead the back line.
The main attacking threat remains Anderson Talisca. The Brazilian has scored 21 goals in 35 appearances across all competitions this season and is expected to operate centrally in a three-man attack with Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Marco Asensio. Talisca and Aktürkoğlu have accounted for the majority of Fenerbahçe’s Europa League goals this term.
Forest travel without several key players, including Chris Wood, Willy Boly and Matz Sels. Goalkeeper Angus Gunn is likely to start, while Lorenzo Lucca competes with Igor Jesus to lead the line. Defensive responsibility may fall on Nikola Milenkovic and Morato if Murillo does not recover in time.
Fenerbahçe have faced English opponents 21 times in European competition, winning just four of those matches. That record underlines the challenge ahead, even with home advantage.
For Fenerbahçe, the objective is clear. Build a cushion before the return leg at the City Ground on Feb. 26. For Forest and Pereira, it is about resilience and belief at the start of a turbulent new era.
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