Turkish authorities arrest refereeing chiefs

ANKARA, Turkey (AP):

Turkish authorities have arrested the head of the country’s football refereeing body, his deputy, and five other individuals as part of efforts to “restore the public trust in football”, the country’s justice minister said yesterday.

Akın Gürlek said the investigation centres on “allegations of irregularity”, including “interference in referee classification, assignments, scoring, and appointment processes, as well as rule examinations.”

He did not provide further details.

Gürlek said raids were carried out yesterday morning at the suspects’ homes, workplaces, and offices.

“We will resolutely continue the fight for clean football to clarify allegations that undermine trust in Turkish football, ensure those responsible are held accountable before the law, and see football defined by the effort, struggle, and sportsmanship displayed on the pitch,” he said.

Last year, the Turkish Football Federation suspended 149 referees and assistant referees over their alleged involvement in a betting scandal linked to the country’s professional football leagues.

In July, Turkish authorities detained 17 football club officials as part of an expanding investigation into alleged illegal betting and match-fixing that has cast a shadow over Turkish football.

It was not immediately clear whether yesterday’s arrests were connected to those cases.

Turkey is scheduled to co-host the men’s 2032 European Championship with Italy.