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Turkish football club remains without players after betting scandal
Turkey’s fourth division football team, Ağrı Spor, announced that it suddenly has no senior players left after 17 members of the squad were suspended as part of a major betting scandal in the country.
The club’s crisis began a few weeks after Turkish authorities arrested eight football professionals, including the chairman of a top-league club, over allegations of match fixing. As part of the wider probe, 17 Ağrı Spor players were suspended, leaving the team with no one to put on the field.
Ağrı Spor shared on Facebook:
“Our club has mobilized all its legal and sporting resources throughout this process and has taken all necessary steps to ensure justice is served. We will continue to fight under all circumstances.”
Ağrı Spor, based in the eastern city of Ağrı near the Iranian border, now plans to use its youth players for upcoming matches. Vice President Tekin Yuşan said the club’s internal review found that none of the current squad members had placed bets since the team was formed in August.
The club used every legal option available to defend itself and promised to keep fighting. Many of the suspended players admit they placed bets on games years ago, but not recently.
Turkey has intensified its battle against illegal gambling, especially in the context of professional football. Back in October 2025, the Turkish Football Federation revealed a referee betting scandal and suspended 1,024 players across all four professional leagues for betting on matches. That includes 27 players from the country’s top division, the Süper Lig, and even two from current champions Beşiktaş.
Officials found that many active referees had betting accounts; moreover, some of them even placed bets on their own sport.
In Turkey, legal betting is only allowed through the state-run İddaa system.
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