Five of the seven suspects detained as part of the "Referees case" investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Bureau for Illegal Betting and Sports Crimes were remanded in custody.
The investigation is being conducted over allegations of torment, forgery of official documents, abuse of trust and the unlawful acquisition of personal data.
Five suspects remanded in custody
Judicial decisions were issued for MHK President Ferhat Gündoğdu, Ferdi Karadoruk, president of the TFF Active Referees Association, Ahmet Şahin, former deputy chair of the TFF Central Referee Board, Yunus Yıldırım, former member of the TFF Central Referee Board, Alican Sağlar, organization officer for the Istanbul branch of the TFF Referees and Observers Association, and Emre Kosif, president of the Istanbul Provincial Referee Board of the TFF Referees and Observers Association, after proceedings at the criminal judgeship of peace were completed.
The judgeship ordered the detention of Ferhat Gündoğdu, Emre Kosif, Ferdi Karadoruk, Yunus Yıldırım and Alican Sağlar.
Sebahattin Şahin, TFF Education and 4th Regional Officer, and Ahmet Şahin, former deputy chair of the TFF Central Referee Board, were placed under judicial control measures in the form of a travel ban and a requirement to sign in.
Background to the investigation
Teams from the Financial Crimes Unit of the Istanbul Police Department conducted operations as part of the investigation under the coordination of the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Bureau for Illegal Betting and Sports Crimes.
Following open-source research, Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) and HTS analyses, statements from complainants and witnesses, and expert assessments, authorities determined that Ferhat Gündoğdu and some referees and observers could be linked to the alleged crimes.
Following these assessments, operations were carried out at addresses identified in Istanbul, Ankara, Elazığ and Manisa. Ferhat Gündoğdu, Ferdi Karadoruk, Ahmet Şahin, Yunus Yıldırım, Sebahattin Şahin, Alican Sağlar and Emre Kosif were detained in the operations.
The investigation also involved the detention of Süper Lig referee Yasin Kol and Süper Lig assistant referee Göktuğ Hazar Erel.
Interim panel to appoint referees
The Turkish Football Federation said that until a new Central Referee Committee is formed, referees for the Ziraat Turkish Cup matches on October 6, 7 and 8 will be appointed by acting chair Hikmet Öksüzoğlu and members Ali Zağlı, Kamil Abitoğlu, İbrahim Çınar and Ziya Çetin. The new committee is to be announced in the coming days.
