MHK President Ferhat Gündoğdu was arrested in the 'Referees file' investigation in Istanbul

7 suspects, including the President of the Central Referee Board (MHK), Ferhat Gündoğdu, who were detained in the operation carried out within the scope of the investigation known as the "Referees File" in Istanbul, were referred to the criminal judgeship of peace with a request for arrest.

FERHAT GÜNDOĞDU AND 4 NAMES WERE ARRESTED

It was decided to keep MHK President Ferhat Gündoğdu, Ferdi Karadoruk, Yunus Yıldırım, Alican Sağlar and Emre Kosif in detention. Ahmet Şahin and Sebahattin Şahin were released under judicial control with an international travel ban.

GÜNDOĞDU RELEASED FOR 2 CRIMES, ARRESTED UNDER TCK 135/2

Ferhat Gündoğdu was released for 2 crimes for which he was referred to the judgeship by the prosecutor. However, while the interrogation was continuing, it was decided to arrest him under TCK 135/2.

WHAT IS TCK 135/2?

TCK 135/2 is the second paragraph of Article 135 of the Turkish Penal Code and regulates the qualified version that increases the penalty for the crime of unlawful recording of special (sensitive) personal data.

TERMINATION CASE FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FOR THE REFEREES ASSOCIATION

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Illegal Betting and Sports Crimes Investigation Bureau filed a lawsuit in the Civil Court of First Instance, requesting the termination of the Istanbul Branch of the Türkiye Active Football Referees and Observers Association. Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; He stated that messages and documents were detected that the association managers classified the referees as "close, obedient, controllable and others" and that the match and observer assignments were based on affiliation and loyalty instead of objective criteria.

The lawsuit stated that the association's presidency was tried to be used as an element of power over the football and refereeing community, that the activities went beyond the objectives of the association's charter and that these practices were continuing. The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office requested on behalf of the public to decide on the dissolution of the association within the scope of Article 89 of the Turkish Civil Code.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Within the scope of the "Referees file" investigation carried out by Istanbul Police Department Financial Crimes Branch teams under the coordination of Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Illegal Betting and Sports Crimes Bureau, it was determined that there were allegations of "torture" and "forgery of official documents" against some suspects.

As a result of open source research, MASAK and HTS studies, complainant and witness statements and expert findings within the scope of the file, it was evaluated that MHK President Ferhat Gündoğdu and some MHK member referees and observers may be connected to the crime.

Thereupon, in the operation carried out at the addresses determined in Istanbul, Ankara, Elazığ and Manisa, Ferhat Gündoğdu, TFF Active Referees Association President Ferdi Karadoruk, former TFF Central Referee Board Deputy Chairman Ahmet Şahin, former TFF Central Referee Board Member Yunus Yıldırım, TFF Education and 4th Region Officer Sebahattin Şahin, TFF Referees and Observers Association Istanbul Branch Organization Officer Alican Sağlar. TFF Referees and Observers Association Istanbul Provincial Referee Board President Emre Kosif was taken into custody.

It was reported that within the scope of the investigation, Super League referee Yasin Kol and Super League assistant referee Göktuğ Hazar Erel were also detained by Istanbul Police Department Financial Crimes Branch teams.