Tareq Al-Tayeeb, a Libyan football player who had a stint with Gaziantep Spor in Turkey, has made startling revelations about his experiences in the Turkish league between 2004 and 2006. In his confession, he expressed his astonishment at the existence of match-fixing, which he had only heard whispers about, particularly in the eastern part of Turkey. Al-Tayeeb mentioned that he did not expect the issue would be so directly impactful on the field itself.

Recalling a specific incident before a match against Kayseri Spor, which included a player named Johnson from Ghana, Al-Tayeeb described how several players from the opposing team approached him, explicitly asking him to 'raise his leg' to facilitate their victory. Despite his limited knowledge of Turkish at the time, he understood their request clearly and firmly rejected it, insisting on maintaining integrity in his play. This act of refusal highlighted his professional ethics amid a culture that seemed rife with corruption.

In a shocking twist, the referee of the match also approached Al-Tayeeb during the game and questioned him about why he was exerting so much effort, implying that he should stop competing and allow the opposing team to win. This interaction underscored the systemic issues within the Turkish football league regarding referee impartiality and has raised questions about the integrity of officiating in the league. Al-Tayeeb’s confession adds to the ongoing conversation about corruption in sports, especially in contexts where match-fixing undermines fair play.