Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced the detention of seven individuals linked to an investigation into corruption within the nation's football refereeing system. Ferhat Gundogdu, president of the refereeing body, and his vice-president were among those arrested, along with five others. Police conducted searches of homes, workplaces, and offices as part of the operation.

The probe focuses on alleged interference in referee classifications, assignments, scoring, and appointment processes, as well as rule examinations. This development comes over a year after a separate betting scandal that saw 149 referees suspended and 29 people arrested, including 14 footballers. Gurlek stated there is no link between the current investigation and last year's betting case.

The justice minister vowed to continue the fight for clean football, emphasizing that those responsible would be held accountable before the law.