AFP reports that one of the most prominent names on the list is Metehan Baltacı of reigning champions Galatasaray, who had earlier been slammed with a nine-month suspension for his role in the scandal.
The betting scandal shaking Turkish football escalated on Friday as the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office announced arrest warrants for 46 individuals, including 29 professional players, over allegations of illegal wagering and match manipulation.
According to prosecutors, 27 of the players under arrest warrant are suspected of placing bets on fixtures involving their own teams — an act considered one of the gravest violations in professional sport. Police have reportedly detained 35 out of the 46 individuals named.
AFP reports that one of the most prominent names on the list is Metehan Baltacı of reigning champions Galatasaray, who had earlier been slammed with a nine-month suspension for his role in the scandal.
Another is Mert Hakan Yandaş of Fenerbahçe, accused of placing bets through third-party accounts to evade detection.
The unfolding scandal has torn through every layer of the Turkish football structure. Earlier this month, six referees were remanded in pre-trial detention, alongside the president of Eyüpspor, a top-flight Super Lig club, as investigators widened the net around organised betting rings allegedly influencing match outcomes.
Two club presidents are also among the latest to be targeted, facing allegations of attempting to manipulate a third-division fixture during the 2023–2024 season.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has moved aggressively in response, suspending more than 1,000 players and nearly 150 referees. At least 25 of those sanctioned are from the Super Lig, with penalties ranging between 45 days and one year.
Only one foreign player has been directly implicated so far — Senegalese winger Alassane Ndao of Konyaspor, who received a 12-month ban.