ANKARA: Turkiye’s football federation (TFF) on Thursday imposed bans of various lengths against 102 players from its league’s top two tiers as part of a probe into alleged betting on matches, with Galatasaray’s Eren Elmali and Metehan Baltaci among those sanctioned.
Earlier this month, the TFF suspended 149 referees and assistant referees after an investigation found that officials working in the country’s professional leagues were betting on football matches.
The probe widened on Monday with the arrest of eight people, including the chairman of a top-tier club, and the suspension of 1,024 players from all leagues as the investigation continues. Matches in the second and third-tier leagues were also suspended for two weeks.
In a statement, the TFF’s Professional Football Disciplinary Council (PFDK) announced the bans that local media said involved 25 players from the top-tier Super Lig and 77 players from the second tier.
Under the measure, the PFDK imposed bans of 45 days and nine months on Elmali and Baltaci, respectively. Bans ranged from 45 days up to 12 months for some players.
The PFDK did not announce any measures against the remaining players in the probe.
TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu has described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football.”
Its own investigation revealed that 371 of 571 active referees in Turkiye’s professional leagues had betting accounts, and 152 of them were actively gambling.
One referee had bet 18,227 times and 42 referees had bet on more than 1,000 football matches each. Others were found to have bet only once.
Turkiye imposes bans on 102 players in gambling probe
https://arab.news/854ev
Turkiye imposes bans on 102 players in gambling probe
- The probe widened on Monday with the arrest of eight people, including the chairman of a top-tier club
- The PFDK did not announce any measures against the remaining players in the probe
Real Madrid lose second straight and miss chance to close gap on Liga leader Barcelona
- Getafe held on to secure a historic win, its first at the Santiago Bernabeu since 2008, and a vital three points in its bid to stay in La Liga
MADRID: Real Madrid lost a second straight La Liga match when a stunning volley from Martín Satriano gave Getafe a shock 1-0 win at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Monday.
The result prevented the capital club from cutting the four-point gap to leader Barcelona.
Getafe had lost all eight of its previous league encounters with Real Madrid and early saves from goalkeeper David Soria kept it from falling behind.
Soria turned over a shot from Arda Güler midway through the first half, not long after frustrating Vinicius Junior when he was through on goal.
Madrid had more of the ball but lacked punch up front and it paid a price for its profligacy six minutes before halftime when Getafe took the lead.
A hopeful cross from the right was headed clear but it fell to the feet of Satriano, who volleyed into the roof of the net from 20 meters out.
It was the second goal in three games for the Uruguayan, who joined on loan from Lyon during the last transfer window.
Madrid continued to dominate possession in the second half and Antonio Rüdiger and substitute Rodrygo were among those who came close to grabbing an equalizer.
But it could not find a way past Getafe’s stuffy rearguard and an in-form Soria.
Madrid’s task became even harder when Franco Mastantuono was sent off for dissent in stoppage time and although the numbers were evened up in the last minute when Getafe’s Adrian Liso was also shown a red card it came too late to make any impact.
Getafe held on to secure a historic win, its first at the Santiago Bernabeu since 2008, and a vital three points in its bid to stay in La Liga.
“Coming here is always very difficult,” Getafe defender Kiko Femenía told broadcaster DAZN. “We have to congratulate the team, we did a superb job at the back and we scored when had the chance. We might even have scored more on the counterattack.”
They jumped three league places into 11th and were eight points above the relegation zone.
