Dozens questioned in Turkey over match-fixing

Turkish police were on Thursday questioning 45 suspects, among them footballers from the country’s top league, in connection with a match-fixing probe, officials and media reports said.

The Turkish Football Federation confirmed that an investigation was under way, but said it was not related to a Europe-wide match-fixing scandal involving Turkey that broke out last year.

Istanbul police chief Huseyin Capkin said 46 suspects were detained Wednesday in 26 provinces and that the probe “is targeting (a total of) 53 people.”

One suspect, a player from first-division club Sivasspor, was released after questioning late Wednesday, Anatolia news agency reported.

Among those who remained in police custody Thursday were two former internationals — Arif Erdem, now a coach at first-division Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyespor (IBB), and Fatih Akyel, according to NTV television.

The suspects included at least seven players from first-division clubs IBB, Denizlispor and Kayserispor as well as footballers from lower divisions, managers and club administrators, Anatolia said.

Following their interrogation by police, the suspects were to be questioned by prosecutors, who will decide whether to release them or press charges.

“The probe was launched upon a complaint lodged by the Turkish Football Federation on August 4, 2009… (based on) information and documents obtained from inquiries into three separate match-fixing cases,” the federation said Wednesday.

Match-fixing allegations as part of a Europe-wide probe launched last year in Bochum, Germany are being investigated separately, it said.

In November, German prosecutors announced that a 200-strong band had been rigging games in Germany, Belgium, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Austria and Switzerland.

By bribing players, coaches, referees and officials to influence games, the gang is thought to have earned as much as 10 million euros in huge bets with bookmakers in Europe and Asia, primarily in China.

Among 200 suspect matches are 29 games in Turkey from the first division downwards.