Thousands Of Soccer Players Suspended Amid Ginormous Betting Scandal Overseas

We learned in October that a wide-ranging investigation into Turkish football revealed a major illegal gambling operation, but the scope of what is taking place across the country's professional leagues is almost impossible to comprehend.

Previous findings found that 371 of the country's 571 active pro referees have betting accounts, and 152 of them have been actively gambling, including on soccer matches. A five-year investigation revealed that 42 of those officials bet on more than 1,000 games each, and one ref placed more than 18,000 wagers.

While the earlier stages of the investigation centered around referees, new discoveries have honed in on actual players on the pitch.

Turkish Football Federation (TFF) president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said at a press conference earlier in the week that he saw "a growing sense of panic" within Turkish football "as operations deepen," according to the BBC. The word ‘panic' may not do the situation justice based on the figures allegedly involved here.

Getty Images

(Getty Images)

In November, the TFF suspended 1,024 players from its professional leagues as part of an investigation into betting. The federation then banned 102 players from the top two divisions for "betting-related activities." A total of 46 people, ranging from players to club presidents, were ordered to be arrested by prosecutors as it relates to insider betting in Turkish professional leagues.

Five days after the 102 players received bans, another 282 third-tier players were issued bans. Then, on November 20, a stunning 638 fourth-tier and unattached players were banned. 

From November 13–20, 1,022 players were banned from competition, making the gambling probes across major sports in North America in recent years look like child's play.

Among the most notable players detained is Galatasaray player Metehan Baltaci, who prosecutors accuse of betting on 27 of his own team's matches through a legal site and accessing illegal betting platforms, as well as being "individually engaged in betting activities aimed at influencing match results".

Galatasaray currently sits atop Turkey's Super Lig table, having lost just one of its 16 matches played this season.