Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that 19 suspects were taken into custody in operations centered in Istanbul as part of an illegal betting investigation.
Minister Gürlek stated in a statement made on his social media account that the fight against illegal betting, violence in sports, match-fixing, and proceeds of crime is being carried out with determination.
Emphasizing that they adopt as a fundamental principle that football should be associated with justice, effort, and hard work, and that the struggle on the field should not remain under the shadow of any suspicion, Gürlek stated that significant findings were reached in the investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Illegal Betting and Sports Crimes Investigation Bureau within this framework.
Providing information regarding the details of the investigation, Minister Gürlek noted the following:
"Betting platform data for the years 2020-2026 and MASAK analyses were evaluated together; significant findings regarding the betting activities of some club managers serving in professional leagues affiliated with the Turkish Football Federation were obtained; and simultaneous operations centered in Istanbul were carried out today against 19 suspects."
Gürlek thanked the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for meticulously conducting the comprehensive investigation, the Istanbul Provincial Police Department for carrying out the operations, and all public officials who contributed.
Stating that the judicial process will continue for the establishment of clean football and the protection of sports' reliability, Gürlek commented, "Judicial processes are being meticulously carried out to shed light on incidents that wound the conscience of our nation. Every suspicious structure, relationship, and action that harms the spirit of sports and casts a shadow on the reliability of football will be resolutely pursued."