Arjun Menon
Galatasaray Assistant Manager Demands Strong Action
The assistant manager of Galatasaray, Ismael Garcia Gomez, has called for “very strict” sanctions in response to Turkey’s football betting scandal, drawing parallels to the Calciopoli affair in Italy. Speaking exclusively to BBC Sport, Garcia Gomez emphasized the need for decisive action to restore trust in Turkish football.
“When there is a big problem, you need big decisions,” Garcia Gomez stated. “Sometimes you need to be very strict.”
Widespread Investigation and Suspensions
A comprehensive investigation into illegal gambling in Turkish football is underway, with hundreds of players, club owners, and referees under scrutiny. Police raids have been conducted, arrests made, and over 1,000 players suspended. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has already banned 102 players from its top two divisions for “betting-related activities.”
Among those detained is Metehan Baltaci, a 23-year-old Galatasaray player who admitted to placing bets as a youth player but denies betting on his club’s matches after joining the senior squad.
Cultural Reset Needed
Garcia Gomez highlighted the negative impact of the scandal on Turkey’s image and called for a cultural reset similar to the aftermath of the Calciopoli scandal. “The first thing is how this affects the country – it is a very bad image for Turkey,” he said.
He expressed hope that the scandal would lead to improvements in Turkish football. “In Turkey, they will learn, I am confident,” Garcia Gomez said. “It does not help, but as an insider I want to see change.”
Restoring Reputation
Garcia Gomez, who has worked in Turkish football for four years, emphasized the need for quick answers to begin restoring the country’s reputation. “I have to value a quick answer, and we hope in future Turkey is known for the talent of its players,” he said.
The betting scandal first erupted on 27 October and initially focused on referees. A five-year TFF investigation found that 371 of 571 match officials in Turkey held betting accounts, with 152 of those actively gambling.
Despite the scandal, Garcia Gomez remains optimistic about the future of Turkish football. “We should be talking about the Champions League and Galatasaray, other clubs doing well in Europe,” he said. “This is sad, but I hope this is going to be one step to improve things.”