ANKARA, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Turkish court ordered the arrest of 20 suspects, including Super Lig footballers Metehan Baltaci and Mert Hakan Yandas, pending trial as part of a widening illegal betting investigation, Anadolu Agency reported on Tuesday.
Prosecutors had referred 29 suspects to a criminal court as part of an investigation led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Anadolu said those formally arrested included Galatasaray player Baltaci, Fenerbahce player Yandas and former Adana Demirspor president Murat Sancak, all of whom were detained in operations carried out last week.
The investigation was launched following reviews of financial crimes board (MASAK) reports, bank transactions and telecommunications traffic records (HTS), Anadolu reported. Based on the findings, police carried out coordinated raids centered in Istanbul across 17 provinces last week.
"For years, the problems of Turkish football have been swept under the carpet," Turkish Football Federation (TFF) Chairman Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu told a press conference on Tuesday. "Such disgraceful decisions have been made, such crimes covered up, and the sole responsibility for our current situation is a lack of will," he said.
Haciosmanoglu said the TFF's inquiry could expand once it receives data from Türkiye's state-run sports betting operator Spor Toto, including information on match observers, coaches, managers and other football officials.
"The data hasn't yet arrived. We want the public to know that we will take appropriate action when it does," he said.
The arrests came after investigations revealed that hundreds of referees officiating in Türkiye's professional football leagues were found to have engaged in betting activities. ■