Galatasaray has faced criticism for the deal with a company with close ties to illegal gambling. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Turkish soccer giant Galatasaray has suspended its shirt sponsorship deal with Serwin Global Solutions after allegations of illegal betting.

The contract, which runs for two years and is worth over $14m, promotes the digital news platform Meritking.news. The move attracted criticism as the site is allegedly linked to illegal betting operators. Galatasaray’s Vice President Niyazi Yelkencioglu initially defended the deal, insisting that the arrangement was only with the news portal, but the club has now U-turned.

ensure that our collaborations are conducted in a manner that protects the interests of our club”

“We have suspended the sponsorship agreements with Serwin Global Solutions SDN BHD until the information and claims provided to us are clarified,” said a statement from Galatasaray. “We will continue to ensure that our collaborations are conducted in a manner that protects the interests of our club.”

Yelkencioglu also claimed that the contract had a clause which would allow termination if any illegal activities were discovered, before insisting that it had been thoroughly reviewed by the club’s legal team.

The move was made even more controversial after fierce rivals Fenerbahçe filed several complaints to sporting authorities against Galatasaray, which included the sponsorship deal. The complaints were filed before a crucial match between the two teams, who sit in the top two positions in Turkey’s Süper Lig, on Saturday, September 21.