TFF hints may decide on match-fixing probe by end of August

TFF Deputy Chairman Göksel Gümüşdağ told reporters on Monday that the federation's ethics council, a group of lawyers who are assigned to oversee the federation's own investigation into the match-fixing allegations, will conclude their assessments “in a short period of time,” and added that he believes the federation will make, what he called, the “best decision” by the end of August.

The match-fixing investigation concerns claims that some club officials and footballers were rigging games in the Spor Toto Super League, which ended in May with Fenerbahçe winning the trophy, as well as the Bank Asya League 1. Last month, police raided homes and football club premises, detaining some 60 people suspected of fixing football matches in two Turkish leagues last season. Many high-ranking football officials from various Turkish clubs, including Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş, have been arrested on charges of fraud and match-fixing. A total of 31 individuals, including agents, former footballers and club managers, were arrested in two waves of the probe, with Fenerbahçe Chairman Aziz Yıldırım being the highest-profile figure taken into custody.

Gümüşdağ acknowledged that the process takes time, while stressing that the ethics council is working very hard. He dismissed rumors of the federation mulling over further delaying the leagues to gain more time for the investigation. Late in July, the federation delayed the Turkish leagues, which were scheduled to start on Aug. 5, to gain more time as the match-fixing investigation was widening.