Turkish football has been rocked by an extensive police operation targeting illegal betting and match-fixing, culminating in the raid of Fenerbahçe captain Mert Hakan Yandaş’s residence on Friday morning.
The Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s office ordered the arrest of 46 individuals, including 29 professional players, as the widening scandal continues to dominate the country’s sports landscape.
Arrests Across the Süper Lig
Fenerbahçe midfielder Mert Hakan Yandaş, 31, is reportedly among those detained. Prosecutors allege that the captain made illegal bets on matches through a third party.
Also on the list of arrests is 23-year-old Galatasaray centre-back Metehan Baltacı, who is accused of betting on matches involving his own team. Baltacı was recently suspended for nine months by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) over the allegations.
Footballers are strictly prohibited from betting on any matches—whether involving their own team or not—to preserve sporting integrity and prevent match-fixing. Authorities claim that 27 of the 29 arrested players are alleged to have bet on games their own teams participated in.
Ongoing Investigation and High-Profile Names
The prosecutor’s office confirmed in a statement that 35 of the 46 people targeted for arrest have already been detained, with five of the remaining 11 suspects believed to be abroad.
“Efforts to apprehend the other suspects are ongoing,” the prosecutor’s office stated, adding that “Investigations will continue with meticulousness and determination.”
The list of accused individuals extends far beyond the players, reaching owners, presidents, and referees:
Club Leadership: Including Ankaraspor owner Ahmet Okatan and president Mehmet Emin Katipoğlu, and Nazilli Belediyespor president Şahin Kaya, related to allegations of fixing a match between the two sides in April 2024.
Match-Fixing: Six people, including one player, are accused of attempting to fix the outcome of a match between Ümraniyespor and Giresunspor in December 2023.
Former Officials: Former Adana Demirspor president Murat Sancak is accused of wrongdoing.
Referees & Media: Former referee and current commentator Ahmet Çakar and his wife, along with top-flight referee Zorbay Küçük, are also under scrutiny. Küçük is accused of making suspicious financial transactions via a bank account.
This mass arrest follows an initial purge by the TFF in November, when the federation suspended over 1,000 players over alleged betting infractions. That move came shortly after TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu first accused hundreds of referees of being linked to betting accounts in October.
The ongoing scandal casts a massive shadow over the Süper Lig, where Galatasaray currently holds a one-point lead over arch-rivals Fenerbahçe after 14 matches.
