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ISTANBUL: The head of Turkiye\u2019s football refereeing body and six other people have been arrested as part of a graft investigation, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cClaims regarding interference in the processes of referee classification, assignments, scoring and appointments, as well as in the examinations on rules, have been investigated,\u201d he wrote on X.<\/p>\n
Among those arrested was Ferhat Gundogdu, president of the refereeing body, and his vice president, with searches carried out at all of the suspects\u2019 \u201chomes, workplaces and offices\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will steadfastly continue the fight for clean football so that claims undermining trust in Turkish football are clarified (and) those responsible are held accountable,\u201d Gurlek said.<\/p>\n
The move comes a year after Turkiye\u2019s Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees over allegations of involvement in an illegal betting scandal.<\/p>\n
In a statement on its website which did not mention the arrests, the TFF said it was \u201cworking resolutely\u201d to restore public faith in \u201cclean football\u201d.<\/p>\n
Without making a direct link to the earlier scandal, the TFF said it had \u201cresolutely tackled the issue of betting and illegal betting\u201d, fully supporting the work of the interior, justice, and youth and sport ministries, and that \u201cthe investigation and cooperation process with (them) is still ongoing\u201d.<\/p>\n
All documents requested by investigators \u201chave been sent.. in sealed envelopes, with a request for delivery to the Forensic Medicine Institute for fingerprint and DNA analysis and other necessary examinations,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
Newspaper Hurriyet said prosecutors believe the suspects improperly influenced referee classifications, promotional exams and match appointments through document fraud and systemic intimidation.<\/p>\n
It said the probe was opened following a formal complaint, with investigators looking into financial audits and phone records alongside witness testimony and expert reports.<\/p>\n
During last year\u2019s referee scandal, a TFF investigation found 371 of Turkiye\u2019s 571 referees officiating in the professional leagues had betting accounts and 152 of them actively placed bets.<\/p>\n
Police arrested 29 people in the sprawling scandal, among them 14 footballers \u2014 one of whom was Fenerbahce\u2019s international midfielder Mert Hakan Yandas.<\/p>\n
Authorities suspended more than 1,000 players, including 25 from the first division.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n