Turkey detains 32 suspects in widening betting probe, prosecutor’s office says

Turkish authorities detained 32 suspects, including executives of football clubs, on Friday as part of a widening investigation into alleged match-fixing and illegal betting in the country’s professional leagues, the prosecutor’s office in ⁠Istanbul said.

The prosecutor’s office ⁠said in a statement that the suspects were identified to have ​had placed bets on ⁠matches involving their own teams, including wagers placed on opposing teams ⁠during official fixtures.

Police ‌carried ⁠out operations across 10 provinces to capture the suspects, it added, while efforts ​were underway to catch one remaining ‌suspect.

The prosecutor’s office did not say who the suspects were or which clubs they were affiliated with.

Turkish ​authorities have been carrying out a widening series of investigations and detentions into illegal ‌betting ​and match-fixing in Turkey’s professional soccer leagues, including its top-tier Super Lig.

Turkey’s Football Federation has suspended 149 ‌referees and assistants over betting ​on games, while dozens, including club chairmen, top-tier players, ‌and ⁠commentators ⁠have been detained or ​arrested as part of the probes. [Reuters]

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