TFF President Denies Involvement in Referee Scandal

On October 5, 2026, Turkey’s Football Federation (TFF) President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu denied any involvement in a scandal that resulted in the arrest of Ferhat Gundogdu, head of the Central Referees Committee (MHK), and four others on graft charges. They were jailed pending trial for manipulating the referee administration process, facing charges such as “official document forgery,” “breach of trust,” and “illegal acquisition of personal data.” This case is connected to a significant illegal betting network uncovered a year prior.

Haciosmanoglu, who has been in his role for just over two years, stated, “Don’t try and pin 30 years of corruption in football on me,” emphasizing his and the board's lack of responsibility for long-standing issues in Turkish football. Additionally, two other referees were placed in pre-trial detention.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek confirmed that prosecutors are investigating claims of interference in referee processes. The scandal follows the TFF's suspension of 149 referees last year for illegal betting activities.