Turkish referee chief Ferhat Gundogdu has been arrested in Istanbul alongside six others following an investigation into judicial wrongdoing and refereeing corruption.
Turkey's Minister of Justice, Akin Gurlek, confirmed the operation was carried out by the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office and local police following an extensive review of witness testimony, expert findings, telecommunications data and financial records.
Investigators examined intelligence supplied by MASAK, Turkey's financial crimes investigation board, alongside telecommunication data and expert evaluations before carrying out the arrests.
Those taken into custody include the vice-president and an active member of the Central Refereeing Committee, a former member of the panel, the head of the Istanbul branch of the Turkish Active Football Referees and Observers Association, and two further suspects.
Gurlek emphasized that no office, title or official duty could grant immunity from the law, stating that state authorities would maintain their pursuit of clean football.
Scope of the refereeing investigation
The legal proceedings focus on allegations of humiliating treatment, forgery, and systematic interference in referee rankings, match assignments, performance grading and rule examinations.
Turkish media outlets report that investigators are scrutinizing alleged manipulation of referee and observer selection lists from 2022 and 2024, alongside examination results from 2025. Evidence in the case file includes WhatsApp messages detailing leaked exam questions and instances of pressure placed on match observers to remove specific officials.
The Central Refereeing Committee, known locally as the MHK, is the official body responsible for appointing referees, assessing official performances and governing match officiating across professional leagues under the Turkish Football Federation. The federation serves as the governing body for all domestic football in Turkey, overseeing the top-tier Super Lig and national competitions.
Past allegations and football reaction
Reporting by Murat Yildiz, editor of the digital news platform Bosphorus News, indicates that the investigation brings long-standing concerns over established influence mechanisms within Turkish refereeing back into public view.
The arrest of Gundogdu has also recalled comments made in September 2025 by former Fenerbahce president Ali Koc during a dispute over officiating decisions. Koc stated at the time that as long as his heart beat in his body, the country would see who Gundogdu was and what he represented.
Fenerbahce, based in Istanbul, is one of Turkey's oldest and most successful football clubs, competing at the top of Turkish sport alongside traditional rivals Galatasaray and Besiktas.
Sports journalist Okan Can noted that Turkish football remains under immense pressure, adding that club presidents and figures across the sport have repeatedly raised questions regarding the management of the refereeing committee.
