Turkish authorities detained the chairman of the country’s top football referees body and six other football officials on Sept. 29 in an investigation centered on allegations of official document forgery and workplace harassment.
Ferhat Gündoğdu, head of the Turkish Football Federation’s (TFF) Central Referee Board (MHK), was taken into custody during simultaneous early-morning raids conducted across four provinces.
The operation, dubbed the “Referees File” by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, was launched following a formal complaint and utilized financial audits from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), telecommunications records, witness testimony and expert reports. Authorities allege the suspects improperly influenced referee classifications, promotional exams and match appointments through fraudulent documentation and systematic intimidation.
Alongside Gündoğdu, those detained include TFF Active Referees Association President Ferdi Karadoruk, former MHK Vice President Ahmet Şahin, former board member Yunus Yıldırım and several regional and association administrators across Istanbul, Ankara, Elazığ and Manisa.
Reacting to the sweeping detentions, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek emphasized the government’s unwavering stance on legal accountability and integrity in sports.
“Football is our citizens’ shared passion and an important value of ours,” Gürlek said.
“Ensuring fair competition on the field and impartial, transparent refereeing processes is the foundation of public trust in football. Our state is determined to investigate, within the framework of the law, any allegations of irregularities that undermine this trust.”
Gürlek noted that the administration is fully attuned to public concerns surrounding officiating and fairness.
“We are well aware of our sports fans’ sensitivities regarding refereeing processes and their expectations for justice. No one’s position, title, or duty constitutes a reason for privilege before the law,” he stated. “We will resolutely continue our fight for clean football in order to shed light on allegations that undermine trust in Turkish football.”
