147 Turkey club officials banned over betting violations

Turkey’s football federation has banned 147 current and former club officials for 45 days for breaching betting regulations, as part of an ongoing crackdown on gambling-related misconduct in Turkish football.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) Professional Football Disciplinary Board announced the sanctions on Tuesday after reviewing allegations against 448 officials. The board found 147 of them guilty of violating betting rules while serving in club positions.

Those sanctioned will be barred from carrying out any football-related duties during the suspension period.

Among those punished is Ertugrul Dogan, president of Turkish top-flight club Trabzonspor. The remaining 301 officials escaped disciplinary action due to insufficient evidence.

The latest sanctions follow the federation’s decision in September to provisionally suspend 448 current and former officials who had worked at clubs in Turkey’s top two divisions over the previous five years. They were investigated over allegations of betting while holding official positions.

The TFF has intensified its efforts to tackle betting-related irregularities in Turkish football. Following a major scandal last year, the investigation also led to suspensions of 149 referees and 1,024 players for varying periods.

The latest disciplinary action marks another step in the federation’s ongoing drive to address betting violations and strengthen integrity in Turkish football.