Turkish Football Hit by Massive Betting Scandal, Osimhen’s Teammate Caught in the Storm

Turkish football has been thrown into chaos as the country’s football federation launches one of the largest disciplinary investigations in its history, implicating more than 1,000 players in an alleged betting scandal.

Among those caught in the dragnet is Galatasaray defender Eren Elmalı, a teammate of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, who has now been suspended from Türkiye’s national team as the probe widens.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) confirmed on Monday that Elmalı, 24, was removed from the national squad and referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board under Article 57 of its code. The decision followed internal findings suggesting that a large number of professional players had participated in betting activities, an offence strictly prohibited for registered footballers.

The scale of the case is unprecedented. The federation said 1,024 players across various divisions were referred for investigation, prompting sweeping roster changes across multiple national sides. Two other players, Izzet Çelik and Ege Albayrak, were also dropped from the under-21 and under-19 squads respectively as a precautionary measure.

Eren Elmalı later addressed the controversy in a statement posted on social media, saying his name appeared in the case because of a single bet he placed about five years ago on a match unrelated to his team. “Since that day, I have neither placed bets nor had the slightest connection to this matter,” he wrote, insisting on his innocence.

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A wider crackdown on football betting

The TFF described the mass suspension as part of a historic crackdown on betting violations within Turkish football. It said the disciplinary board would review each case individually to determine the extent of wrongdoing and decide on potential sanctions.

The federation added that the move was necessary to “protect the integrity of the game” amid rising concerns about gambling’s influence on professional sport.

Although Elmalı maintains his innocence, the unfolding scandal has highlighted the growing scale of betting among footballers and raised questions about the extent of monitoring and enforcement in Turkish leagues.

As investigations continue, clubs like Galatasaray now face increased scrutiny, while the TFF braces for what could become one of the most defining integrity cases in modern Turkish football history.