The investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Illegal Betting and Sports Crimes Bureau, known as the "referees file", continues.
Lastly, Yasin Kol and Göktuğ Hazer Erel, who were discussed due to the report prepared by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), were arrested today.
HIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN REVEALED
The statement of the Super League referee was also revealed.
Rejecting the accusations in general, Kol said, regarding the money transfers reflected in the report, "It is not related to illegal betting in any way. I have never placed illegal bets and have never sent any money to others to play. I do not accept the findings." made his defense.
Kol was also asked about his relationship with Ferhat Gündoğdu, who resigned from his post as the President of the Central Referee Board (MHK) after his arrest, and a few people with him.
The Super League referee claimed that he only knew these names because of their duties and that there was no credit/pay relationship between them.
Kol also did not accept the claim that searches were made with Gündoğdu before and after a match. Meanwhile, the "structure" claim, which has been frequently voiced in the football world lately, also came to the fore.
“NO STRUCTURING”
Kol claimed the following in response to the question:
"There is no structure in which referees and candidates are followed under teams managed by different people. I have not witnessed such a situation so far. Taking the initiative in determining the referee staff in the competitions held in the Turkish league. MHK President asks our opinion about the derby matches and about three days before critical matches, by asking the referee who will manage the match and who in the referee staff can work more harmoniously with them, and whether we have any suggestions.
This practice also applies in matches abroad. In addition, this application is not specific to me, but to all referees who will manage the derby. “So I presented my referee friends, with whom I got along well, to the MHK President, and I officiated the matches with his approval.”
“I EARN 250 THOUSAND LIRA PER MONTH, I HAVE ALSO WORKED AS A SECURITY GUARD FOR 15 YEARS”
Yasin Kol also claimed that the data in the MASAK report was incorrect.
Claiming that he earns 250 thousand TL monthly and that he has been working as a private security guard at KTU for 15 years in addition to refereeing, Kol made the following defense:
"I have never had this amount of money or money traffic in my life. I have never had such money other than what I earned by working as a referee and security guard. This money transfer definitely does not belong to me."
WHAT WAS IN THE MASAK REPORT?
According to the MASAK review report, 72.1 million TL was removed from the accounts in 5 thousand 978 transactions between 2012 and 2026. The money entering the account was determined as 62.5 million TL. It was seen that the total transaction volume was 135 million TL.
In the same report, it was emphasized that the transaction volume increased significantly after 2020, that the increase accelerated in the 2024-2026 period, and that there was an outflow of approximately 22.3 million TL against an inflow of approximately 22.3 million TL in 2026.
“MATCH DAYS” RIGHT ATTENTION IN THE EXPERT REPORT
In the expert report, money transfers between Yasin Kol and the referees who worked in the same matches drew attention.
64 bank transactions were detected with names that took part in the same match with Kol at least once. 218 thousand 668 liras came from these people, and 853 thousand 472 liras went to the same names from Kol. Especially the period between three days before and two days after the matches stood out.
In 44 of 47 payments, Yasin Kol was the referee of the match, and the people to whom money was sent were the assistant or fourth referee.
HIS ARREST WAS REQUESTED
Along with Yasin Kol, who was detained on October 1 and referred to the courthouse this morning, assistant referee Göktuğ Hazar Erel was also referred to the judgeship with a request for arrest.
WHAT IS YASİN KOL ACCUSED OF?
An arrest request was made for Yasin Kol on allegations of match-fixing and incentive bonuses.
An arrest request was made for Göktuğ Hazar Erel on the charge of "participation in the crime of forgery of official documents".
Yasin Kol is accused of various crimes such as illegal betting, forgery of documents and abuse of office. On the other hand, it is claimed that he determines the assistant referees in the matches he officiates.
HOW DID THE REFEREES' FILE INVESTIGATION START?
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, the operation was carried out at the addresses determined in Istanbul, Ankara, Elazığ and Manisa, including Ferhat Gündoğdu, President of the Turkish Active Football Referees Association 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, Turkey Active Football Referees and Observers Association Istanbul Branch Organization Officer Alican. Sağlar and Turkish Active Football Referees and Observers Association Istanbul Provincial Referee Board President Emre Kosif were taken into custody.
7 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED INCLUDING THE CHAIRMAN OF MHK
While the suspects Ferhat Gündoğdu, Kosif, Karadoruk, Yıldırım and Sağlar were arrested, judicial control measures in the form of "ban on going abroad" and "signature" were imposed on Sebahattin Şahin and Ahmet Şahin.
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.
