'Very strict' sanctions needed in Turkish betting scandal

The response to Turkey's football betting scandal must have the same cultural impact as the punishments for the Calciopoli affair in Italy, says the assistant manager of Galatasaray.

A wide-ranging investigation into illegal gambling involving figures in Turkish football is under way, with hundreds of players, club owners and referees under scrutiny.

Police raids have taken place, arrests have been made, and more than 1,000 players have been suspended.

Galatasaray assistant boss Ismael Garcia Gomez says that "when there is a big problem, you need big decisions", and he believes "very strict" sanctions will be required to restore trust in Turkish football.

"The first thing is how this affects the country – it is a very bad image for Turkey," Garcia Gomez said, speaking exclusively to BBC Sport.

He drew comparisons to the Calciopoli scandal, when manipulations to refereeing appointments to benefit certain clubs took place in Serie A between 2004 and 2006.

Several directors and referees were punished, as were some clubs. Most notably, Juventus were stripped of two Serie A titles and relegated to the second division.

While the Turkish scandal currently concerns individuals rather than clubs, Garcia Gomez says there needs to be a similar cultural reset in the Super Lig.

"We should be talking about the Champions League and Galatasaray, other clubs doing well in Europe, so this is sad," he said.

"Sometimes when there is a big problem, you need big decisions. Sometimes you need to be very strict.

"It was big to make such a decision against Juventus, then they came back, they learned, both at Juve and in Italy. And in Turkey, I hope this is going to be one step to improve things."

In November, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 1,024 players from its professional leagues as part of an investigation into betting.

It then handed out bans to 102 players from its top two divisions for "betting-related activities".

Among those detained by prosecutors was 23-year-old Galatasaray player Metehan Baltaci, who has admitted placing bets as a youth player, claiming he did not know it was illegal, but denies betting on his club's matches after joining the senior squad.

Garcia Gomez did not speak directly about Baltaci, but he said of Galatasaray: "In the club, people are against this situation, and people must start learning from mistakes, this is the way."

The Spanish coach, who has worked in Turkish football for four years, said he had been called by acquaintances from all over Europe about the scandal and that answers are needed quickly 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, as the national team could go to the World Cup and teams are doing fantastic in Europe," he said.

The betting scandal first erupted on 27 October and focused on referees. A five-year TFF investigation found 371 of 571 match officials in Turkey held betting accounts, with 152 of those actively gambling.

It fuelled conspiracies about refereeing in Turkish football – former Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho regularly made claims about bias during his time in the Super Lig.

However, Garcia Gomez said he was sure there is "no conspiracy against any club", and that Turkish football will be able to put its house in order.

"In Turkey, they will learn, I am confident," he said. "It does not help, but as an insider I want to see change."