Referee and official suspended after controversial video leak

The world of football in Turkey is facing a media scandal after the suspension of referee Elif Karaarslan, 24, and referee inspector Orhan Erdemir, 61. Both were indefinitely suspended from their duties by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) after the release of an alleged intimate video involving both figures.

The video, which went viral on social media, shows Karaarslan and Erdemir in a compromising situation, which has generated a wave of reactions both in the sports world and in public opinion. However, Karaarslan has vehemently denied involvement in the video, claiming that the footage was fabricated using artificial intelligence with the aim of damaging its image. “I will defend my cause to the end. A long legal road lies ahead of me, but I will overcome it in the strongest way,” the referee said in a recent statement.

Karaarslan’s lawyer has also spoken out, explaining that the video is a digital montage created with malicious intent. According to her defense, artificial intelligence was used to manipulate images and spread them from a social media account that does not belong to Karaarslan.

Orhan Erdemir, who has decades of experience as a referee inspector, has also been suspended while the investigation progresses. Erdemir has not yet made any public statements about the incident.

The TFF decision has sparked a debate in Turkey about privacy and ethics in sport. While some consider the suspension to be appropriate if the allegations turn out to be true, others argue that the personal lives of professionals should not influence their career if it does not affect their performance on the pitch.

Elif Karaarslan, born on 9 July 2000 in Istanbul, had started to gain notoriety in Turkish football as a lower league referee, following a career as a footballer. Karaarslan, who suffered a serious injury at the age of 16 that forced her to abandon her playing career, became a referee in 2020 and has since officiated several important matches. With more than 400 thousand followers on social media, the young referee continues to maintain her innocence in the face of the accusations.