SOCCER: Turkey orders 29 more people detained as it widens probe into betting

ANKARA – Prosecutors in Turkey have ordered the detention of 29 more people as part of an ongoing investigation into betting in professional Turkish soccer, with a former Galatasaray executive among those detained, broadcaster NTV and other media reported on Friday.

According to a statement from the prosecutor's office cited by NTV, 24 of the 29 suspects have been taken into custody, including former Galatasaray executive Erden Timur.

Timur and Galatasaray did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The authorities are still searching for four other suspects, while another suspect is already in jail, the statement added.

NTV reported that 14 of the suspects are players in Turkish leagues, though their names were not disclosed. Additionally, six individuals are being investigated for allegedly betting on a Super Lig match between Kasimpasa and Samsunspor in October 2024.

Last month, Turkey's Football Federation suspended 149 referees and assistants over match-fixing allegations. The probe intensified with the arrest of eight more individuals, including the chairman of a top-tier club, and the suspension of 1,024 players from all leagues, with additional bans imposed by the federation.

Earlier this month, prosecutors had ordered the detention of 46 people, including players, club presidents, commentators, and a referee, in connection with insider betting. A Turkish court later jailed 20 suspects, including Super Lig players, pending trial.

-Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Daren Butler and Peter Rutherford/Reuters