(Yasin Kol) The story behind this trend in Social Media today
01-10-2026
Yasin Kol is a Turkish Super Lig referee from Sürmene, Trabzon, born in December 1987. He began officiating around 2008, reached the top flight in 2020, and in recent seasons has been assigned to many derbies and high-profile matches. His decisions have repeatedly drawn criticism, especially from Galatasaray supporters who argue he has been favored in appointments and has shown inconsistent standards; he has also drawn notice for a high volume of cards. Outside refereeing he works as a private security officer at Karadeniz Technical University. Photos of him in uniform with students circulated widely in late December 2025 after a contested Fenerbahçe–Galatasaray derby he officiated, prompting false claims that he had quit the whistle; an expensive designer jacket he was photographed in after that match added to the backlash.The reason his name is trending today is a fresh development in a broader probe. Istanbul prosecutors have been running a case, often called the “referees file,” into the Central Referee Committee (MHK). On 29 September, MHK president Ferhat Gündoğdu and several others were detained on allegations that included forgery of official documents and mistreatment or pressure on referees. Examination of digital material seized in that operation, together with financial-intelligence analysis, led authorities to name two more people. On the evening of 1 October 2026, after Kol had officiated a Trabzonspor–Drogheda United friendly in Trabzon, he and assistant referee Göktuğ Hazar Erel were taken into custody. The stated allegations against them are violation of the law governing betting and games of chance in sports, participation in document forgery, and abuse of office. The detentions are investigative steps; no court outcome has been reported. The combination of his already polarizing profile and this new legal step is what has driven the social-media surge.