Turkish Football Federation Central Referee Board President Ferhat Gündoğdu, alongside five other suspects, was transferred to the Istanbul Palace of Justice in Çağlayan on October 2, 2026, following detention by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office as part of an ongoing probe into referee operations.
Ferhat Gündoğdu defended his administrative actions during questioning at the police station, stating that his decisions followed collective board evaluations and Turkish Football Federation management approval. When questioned about the mass removal of referees and observers from class lists on March 8, 2022, Gündoğdu maintained that public and club demands alongside legal department evaluations drove the transition. He denied acting with personal hostility or revenge motives regarding the demotion of referees who had previously returned to duty via Arbitration Board rulings in 2024.
Investigators pressed Gündoğdu on accusations that the VETAS appointment system allowed manual intervention to sideline referees. Gündoğdu rejected the claims, noting that the system remained a functional development rather than a mandatory regulation, and dismissed assertions that referees faced arbitrary exclusion from match assignments. Regarding pre-match phone calls with match officials, Gündoğdu acknowledged contacting certain referees directly to offer moral support and check for critical matchday agenda items.
Leaked WhatsApp Chats Reveal Direct Pressure From İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu
Digital material examinations by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office revealed communication records between Ferhat Gündoğdu and Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu. Hacıosmanoğlu sent a message demanding the dismissal of specific referees, describing them as aligned with the Gülen movement by writing, “FETÖ’cü, bunları bitir” (FETÖ member, finish these off). Gündoğdu confirmed receipt of the directive with a brief reply.
Separate WhatsApp chat logs published by Sözcü showed Hacıosmanoğlu targeting specific officials by name. Sözcü reported that Hacıosmanoğlu messaged Gündoğdu regarding referee Özgür Yankaya, stating, “Bu adamı istemiyoruz ne maça ne de VAR’a” (We do not want this man, neither for the match nor for VAR), followed by a message indicating that Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan pushed for the exclusion. Gündoğdu responded with technical analyses of the disputed incidents, noting that VAR officials correctly refrained from intervening on border-line physical challenges.
Digital evidence also produced an audio recording involving referee Kerem Ersoy. Investigators confronted Gündoğdu with voice files in which he told Ersoy he stood on the verge of ending his refereeing career, warned him against speaking about the Central Referee Board, and claimed state monitoring of his actions. Gündoğdu refused to answer questions regarding the Kerem Ersoy audio recording, arguing that the material might have been obtained unlawfully and questioning the legality of an investigation based on such evidence.
The six detained suspects completed their police procedures and transferred to the courthouse.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Investigation
Which officials were detained alongside Ferhat Gündoğdu?
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office detained TFF Active Referees Association President Ferdi Karadoruk, former Central Referee Board member Yunus Yıldırım, TFF Training and 4th Region Representative Sebahattin Şahin, TFF Referees and Observers Association representatives Alican Sağlar, and Istanbul Provincial Referee Board President Emre Kosif on September 29, 2026, alongside Gündoğdu.
What specific matches and referee decisions prompted the WhatsApp interventions?
The leaked messaging records published by Sözcü highlight matches involving referee Özgür Yankaya where club leadership objected to his appointment for Trabzonspor fixtures and video assistant referee duties. Gündoğdu defended the officiating decisions in those matches by arguing that physical contact thresholds did not warrant VAR intervention.
How did Ferhat Gündoğdu respond to questions regarding HTS records and warnings given to referees?
Gündoğdu admitted mentioning HTS telephone traffic records to referees but explained the context as an internal warning to prevent confidential board information from leaking to the press, rather than a threat to their careers.
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