TFF Refers 448 Club Executives to PFDK Over Betting Activity

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has expanded its betting investigation to club management, referring 448 current and former executives to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK).

The list, published on September 30, covers officials who served at clubs competing in Turkey’s Super Lig and First League during the past five years and were found to have placed bets while holding management positions.

Among the most prominent names are Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan, Besiktas vice-president Hakan Daltaban, Galatasaray Sportif AS deputy chairman Maruf Gunes and current TFF board member Huseyin Ural Akuzum.

Of the 448 officials referred to the disciplinary board, 171 are connected to clubs currently competing in the Turkish Super Lig, while 31 come from the country’s traditional “big four” of Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Trabzonspor.

171 Executives From Current Turkish Super Lig Clubs Referred

Seventeen of the 18 clubs competing in the 2026-27 Turkish Super Lig have at least one current or former executive on the list. Kasimpasa are the only club without a representative.

Genclerbirligi have the highest number among current Super Lig teams with 25, followed by Kocaelispor with 21 and Amed Sportif Faaliyetler with 19.

The full Super Lig breakdown is:

• Genclerbirligi: 25
• Kocaelispor: 21
• Amed Sportif Faaliyetler: 19
• Gaziantep FK: 14
• Trabzonspor: 13
• Caykur Rizespor: 13
• Besiktas: 10
• Erzurumspor FK: 10
• Konyaspor: 10
• Samsunspor: 7
• Alanyaspor: 6
• Eyupspor: 6
• Galatasaray: 5
• Corum FK: 5
• Fenerbahce: 3
• Goztepe: 3
• Basaksehir: 1
• Kasimpasa: 0

The figures show that the investigation reaches well beyond Turkey’s biggest clubs, with some of the highest totals recorded at teams that have undergone significant changes in their management structures over the past five years.

31 Executives From Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Trabzonspor

A total of 31 officials from Turkey’s big four clubs appear on the disciplinary list. Trabzonspor have the largest number with 13, followed by Besiktas with 10.

The breakdown is:

• Trabzonspor: 13
• Besiktas: 10
• Galatasaray: 5
• Fenerbahce: 3

Trabzonspor’s list includes Yalcin Orhan, Zeyyat Kafkas, Murat Iskender, Kemal Erturk, Taner Fikret Saral, Lokman Sadiklar, Senol Kaynar, Ertugrul Dogan, Abdulkadir Ferda Baskan, Semih Hekimoglu, Dervis Koz, Ibrahim Sahinkaya and Ceyhun Eskici.

Besiktas have 10 names on the list, including current vice-president Hakan Daltaban, Kerem Gurel and former board member Serhan Cetinsaya.

Galatasaray are represented by Emir Aral, Ozgur Isitan Gun, Ali Yuce, Maruf Gunes and Huseyin Ural Akuzum, while the three Fenerbahce-linked names are Eren Ali Disli, Bekir Irtem and Erdem Sezer.

Trabzonspor President Ertugrul Dogan Among the Most Prominent Names

One of the highest-profile figures referred to the PFDK is Ertugrul Dogan, who has served as Trabzonspor president since March 2023 and also chairs the Turkish Clubs Union, the body representing the country’s leading professional clubs.

Trabzonspor have attracted significant international attention this season after completing the signing of Mohamed Salah in August, with Dogan personally attending the Egyptian forward’s signing ceremony. The club confirmed Salah on a two-year contract on August 6.

Dogan is not the only serving Trabzonspor official on the disciplinary list. Eight of the 13 names are members of the club’s current board:

• Ertugrul Dogan – President
• Zeyyat Kafkas – Deputy Chairman
• Taner Fikret Saral – Vice-President
• Kemal Erturk – Vice-President
• Murat Iskender – Vice-President
• Ibrahim Sahinkaya – Vice-President
• Dervis Koz – Treasurer
• Semih Hekimoglu – Board Member

Trabzonspor therefore have both the highest number of referrals among Turkey’s big four and one of the largest groups of currently serving officials included in the investigation.

Current TFF Board Member Ural Akuzum Also on the List

Another notable name is Huseyin Ural Akuzum, who appears on the list through his previous role at Galatasaray.

Akuzum currently serves on the TFF Board of Directors, where he is responsible for amateur football, women’s football and disability football. His inclusion means a serving member of the federation’s own board has now been referred to the PFDK as part of the betting investigation.

Galatasaray also have current senior officials among those referred. Maruf Gunes serves as deputy chairman of Galatasaray Sportif AS, while Emir Aral remains part of the club’s corporate management structure.

Besiktas Vice-President Hakan Daltaban Referred to PFDK

Besiktas have 10 current or former executives on the list, with Hakan Daltaban the most senior serving official among them.

Daltaban currently holds the position of vice-president at the Istanbul club. Other familiar names include Kerem Gurel and Serhan Cetinsaya, both of whom have held positions within the Besiktas management structure.

Fenerbahce have three names on the list. Among them, Erdem Sezer remains a serving board member of Fenerbahce Futbol AS and is also involved in the club’s management.

Bodrum FK and Boluspor Have the Highest Number of Referrals

Across the full 448-person list, Bodrum FK and Boluspor record the highest totals, with 37 executives from each club referred to the disciplinary board.

The clubs with the largest numbers are:

• Bodrum FK: 37
• Boluspor: 37
• Manisa FK: 30
• Antalyaspor: 26
• Genclerbirligi: 25
• Bandirmaspor: 22
• Kocaelispor: 21
• Sariyer: 21

Genclerbirligi lead the current Super Lig clubs with 25, while the overall list is headed by two teams outside the top flight.

What Happens Next in the TFF Betting Investigation?

All 448 executives have been referred to the PFDK under Article 57 of the TFF Football Disciplinary Regulations, after the federation identified betting activity during periods in which they held club management positions.

The document does not disclose how many bets each individual placed, the matches involved, the value of the wagers or the exact dates of the transactions.

Under Article 57, people covered by the disciplinary regulations are prohibited from betting directly or indirectly on football matches or football-related activities. Violations can result in a ban or deprivation of rights ranging from three months to one year.

The PFDK will now assess the cases individually, including the available records and the statements submitted by the executives, before issuing its disciplinary decisions.