102 players have been temporarily banned due to a huge betting scandal in Turkish football. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Turkish football has been hit with a major disciplinary crackdown as the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 102 players across the country’s two top divisions amid a growing betting investigation. The suspension includes 25 players from the Super Lig and 77 from the second division of the first division. The bans range from 45 days to a year, depending on the severity of the cases, according to the federation’s announcement on Thursday. Among the players named, Galatasaray and Turkey defender Eren Elmali received a 45-day suspension, while his club and international team-mate Metehan Baltaci received a nine-month ban. Alassane Ndao, who plays for Konyaspor and represents Senegal at international level, has been suspended for 12 months. Elmali addressed the situation on Instagram, saying that about five years ago, he bet on a game that did not include his own team. Baltacı, who also admitted to betting in the past, wrote: “Years ago, I made a bet at a time when I could not fully understand the gravity of the matter. I want to make it clear that this action had nothing to do with the matches played by the teams I represented.” According to a local source, the bans only apply to official matches, meaning players can continue to train with their clubs. The federation’s professional football disciplinary committee has reportedly received referrals for more than 1,000 players as part of an ongoing investigation. The TFF has also temporarily suspended competition in the third and fourth tier divisions for two weeks, although the Super Lig and first division will continue. Federation president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said the governing body would act firmly to protect the integrity of the sport. “We came into office 16 months ago with a promise to raise Turkish football to the level it deserves,” he said. “We will not compromise in our fight to protect Turkish football from scandal, decay and corrupt relationships.”
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The scandal comes as Turkish football has shown signs of revival, with the national team advancing to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 and the country set to co-host the 2032 European Championship with Italy.
