Turkish international among players detained in betting scandal

Heavy police presence to oversee the derby match and the fans. Fenerbahce SK and Galatasaray faced each other at 14th week of Trendyol Super League 2025/26 [Middle East Images/ AFP]

An Istanbul court on Monday ordered the detention of 11 footballers from Turkey's first and second divisions, nine of whom are accused of betting on their own teams' matches, local media reported.

Among the five first division players charged are Galatasaray defender Metehan Baltaci, Konyaspor's Senegalese winger Alassane Ndao, and Fenerbahce's international midfielder Mert Hakan Yandas, who is accused of betting on matches through a third party.

The judges ordered the provisional detention of nine other suspects, including the presidents of two third division clubs accused of colluding on the result of a match during the 2023-2024 season.

Nineteen suspects were released on bail, including four players from Super Lig, the Turkish first division.

A total of around 40 people were arrested last week as part of a wide-ranging investigation by the Istanbul public prosecutor's office into suspected illegal betting and match-fixing.

These investigations, which have rocked Turkish football, have already led to the imprisonment in early November of six Turkish referees and the president of first division club Eyuspor.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) also dismissed nearly 150 referees last month, accusing them of actively betting on matches.