Mauro Icardi’s teammate arrested for betting against his own team | OneFootball

Metehan Baltaci, Galatasaray defender, was arrested amid an investigation that also involves Fenerbahçe players, referees, and officials for illegal betting and match-fixing.

Turkish football is going through one of the most serious crises in its history. As part of an investigation into illegal betting and match manipulation, Metehan Baltaci, Galatasaray defender and teammate of Mauro Icardi, was detained, accused of placing bets that directly harmed his own team. The case also implicates figures from Fenerbahçe and dozens of referees.

Baltaci’s arrest was confirmed by Turkish media, who detailed that the defender engaged in betting related to his club’s matches. Along with him, Mert Hakan Yandas, Fenerbahçe forward, was also arrested, another individual implicated in the scandal that has already led to a wave of arrests and suspensions.

Authorities also detained three Second Division officials: Ahmet Okatan (owner of Ankaraspor), Mehmet Emin Katipoğlu (president of the same club), and Şahin Kaya (top executive of Nazilli Belediyespor). They are joined by two coaches whose names have not yet been disclosed.

The case exploded just weeks ago, when an Istanbul court ordered pre-trial detention for seven referees and for Murat Özkaya, president of Eyüpspor. What seemed like an isolated incident turned out to be just the beginning of a huge network that spans all categories of Turkish football.

Parallel to the judicial process, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) sent 1,204 players to the Disciplinary Committee under suspicion of violating sports integrity rules. Among them were 27 Super League players, including two Galatasaray members: Eren Elmali and Baltaci himself.

The role of referees has also come under the spotlight. The investigation revealed that 371 out of 571 registered referees have accounts linked to betting platforms; 152 participate actively and one was involved in 18,227 bets.

In light of this situation, TFF president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu was firm: “We are determined to eradicate any trace of corruption from football. We will make no exceptions,” he assured at a press conference after suspending 149 referees with sanctions ranging from 8 to 12 months.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.