Turkish Football Scandal: Match-Fixing and Illegal Betting Investigations Expand

Turkish authorities have detained 32 suspects, including football club executives, amid a growing investigation into match-fixing and illegal betting in the country's leagues. Raids across 10 provinces aim to capture all individuals involved, while the Turkish Football Federation suspends referees and assists in ongoing probes.

In a significant development, Turkish authorities have detained 32 individuals, including prominent executives from football clubs, as part of an expanding probe into alleged match-fixing and illegal betting within the country's professional leagues, the Istanbul prosecutor's office confirmed on Friday.

The investigations, spanning 10 provinces, have already led to a series of arrests with the objective of apprehending a remaining suspect. Crucially, the identities and affiliations of the detained individuals remain undisclosed by the prosecutor's office.

This investigative sweep is part of a broader crackdown, with the Turkish Football Federation responding by suspending 149 referees and assistants implicated in betting activities. High-profile figures including club leaders, players, and media commentators have also faced detentions amidst continued efforts to cleanse Turkish football of corruption.

(With inputs from agencies.)