Prominent Turkish football commentator and former FIFA referee Ahmet Çakar has denied any involvement in illegal betting or match-fixing after giving testimony to prosecutors in Istanbul as part of a sweeping investigation that has rocked the country’s football establishment.
Çakar appeared before the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Dec. 12, with details of his statement becoming public three days later.
The testimony came amid a broad probe launched by the Istanbul Republic Prosecutor’s Office into alleged illegal gambling networks and potential match manipulation, an investigation that has already led to detentions across 16 provinces and placed players, club officials and media figures under scrutiny.
Authorities allege that organized networks used football matches to generate illicit betting profits, draining millions of euros from the sport in 2025 alone.
Raids earlier this month targeted figures linked to major clubs, including Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, highlighting the scale of the operation.
An influential figure in Turkish sports media, Çakar was initially subject to a detention order during the investigation’s second wave but was released pending testimony after being hospitalized with heart-related issues.
He has since been placed under judicial control, including a ban on foreign travel.
Guru in Turkish football
Born in 1962, Çakar refereed from 1980 to 1998 and held a FIFA badge between 1992 and 1998 before becoming a high-profile television pundit, best known for his blunt and often polarizing commentary on programs such as Derin Futbol.
His name surfaced in the investigation following reviews of financial records by MASAK, Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board.
In his statement, Çakar rejected all allegations, insisting he has only ever used state-licensed betting platforms in Türkiye.
"I have no illegal betting account. I have never engaged in illegal betting in my life,” he told prosecutors. "If I were going to bet illegally, I would not have memberships on legal betting sites.”
Çakar acknowledged holding accounts on licensed platforms such as Misli and possibly Bilyoner, saying his activity was minimal and dated back years.
He said he could not recall specific details because the amounts involved were small and the transactions old.
Old transactions, firm denials
Prosecutors questioned Çakar about MASAK reports referencing credit card transfers to foreign betting sites, including William Hill Online and EuroBet, dating back roughly 21 years.
Çakar said he had no memory of such transfers and denied making them.
"I do not remember the mentioned money transfers. I did not send them,” he said, adding that the reports did not specify which card was used or the amounts involved. "After such a long time, it is impossible for me to remember.”
Asked whether he had ever received inside information or tips about matches, particularly in relation to match-fixing, Çakar struck an uncompromising tone.
"I am absolutely against match-fixing,” he said, recalling that he has repeatedly spoken on television about a fixing offer he claims to have received in 1993 during his refereeing career.
He described his betting habits as largely limited to international football, favoring over/under goal markets rather than match results. Bets on Turkish domestic leagues, he said, were rare.
"I have no direct knowledge of match-fixing,” Çakar said. "At times, when something seemed abnormal, I may have commented on it as an opinion on television. But I have no direct observations or concrete information.”
The missing phone
One of the most closely examined elements of Çakar’s testimony concerns his mobile phone, which was not found during an initial police search of his home.
Çakar told prosecutors he had returned home around 1:00 a.m. the night before police arrived.
When officers searched his house the following morning, he said he did not know where the phone was and suggested it might be in his car.
A cursory check, conducted with police present, turned up nothing.
While Çakar was in custody — a detention later lifted on health grounds — his lawyer returned to the house to collect clothing and discovered the phone, broken, next to Çakar’s car.
According to Çakar, the device was switched on by the lawyer, functioned for about 20 minutes, then shut down automatically and became unusable.
"I have no information about the phone’s whereabouts,” Çakar said, suggesting it may have been left at the hospital or lost. He told prosecutors he is currently using a phone provided by his sister, which was not with him at the time of questioning.
The episode has drawn public attention, given the importance of digital evidence in an investigation centered on betting patterns and financial trails.
Çakar has publicly rejected all accusations and returned to television shortly after his release. No indictment or specific charge against him has been announced as of yet.