How did Kim Min-jae survive? Turkiye's soccer boom, 149 referees are suspended due to betting scandal...3,700 athletes were also surveyed
Nov 01, 2025
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On the 1st (Korea time), the Turkey Football Federation (TFF) announced disciplinary action against 152 referees referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Committee (PFDK) on its official channel. PFDK suspended a total of 149 referees and vice judges who were found to have participated in the betting of the game from a minimum of eight months to a maximum of 12 months. According to the rules of the Central Trial Committee, judges who have been suspended for more than 45 days at a time, a total of more than 90 days, will be disqualified.
Further investigations are underway into three referees, including referee Zorbai Quiczik, who is active in the Turkiye's first lady, Schiffer League. Quiczik has filed a criminal complaint with the court that his identity information was stolen, claiming he did not gamble. PFDK's decision will be finalized when the seven-day objection period expires. The Istanbul Prosecutor's Office is also reportedly investigating the case.
In a statement, TFF President Ibrahim Hachiosmanoulou said "Turkiye football's reputation is based on commitment on the field and unwavering justice. Any act of betraying these values is not simply a breach of the rules, but a breach of trust." "This is not an important turning point, it is the beginning of the Turkiye football revolution" he added. He explained that since the league can be fully operated as a referee in the country, foreign referees will not be hired as they are circulating.
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On the 28th of last month, Chairman Hachios Manolu announced that 371 out of 571 active referees in Turkiye had at least one betting company account based on the results of a government agency investigation, sending Turkiye's soccer community into a tumult. It said 152 people were involved in the bet 'active', including seven top-level referees and 15 deputy referees.
Chairman Hachios Manolu "It is not a crime to open an account on a betting site. They watch matches, highlights there. But it's a crime to actively use the account to bet. Eighty percent of them bet on foreign matches."
At a time when Kim Min-jae was a member of Fenerbahce from 2022 to 2023, it is highly likely that some of the referees who managed the game in the Schiffer League were included in the disciplinary action. Under Article 57 of the disciplinary rules of the Türkiye Football Association, the referees involved are suspended for three months to a year.
Meanwhile, Turkiye broadcaster 'Harberturk' quoted judicial sources as saying an investigation into certain clubs and players is underway. About 3,700 athletes are under investigation, it said. There is a possibility that it will turn into a bigger scandal involving famous clubs and famous players.
Former national striker Hwang Ui-jo is currently active in the Turkiye Schiffer League. Hwang Ui-jo has been playing for Alanyaspor since February 2024. He scored one goal in 10 matches, including the Cup this season.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
