Elif Karaarslan has spoken out for the first time since being suspended by the Turkish Football Federation’s refereeing commission due to allegations involving a sex tape with a match official.

The 24-year-old referee was banned from officiating after reports surfaced claiming she appeared in a video with 61-year-old referees’ observer Orhan Erdemir.

In a social media post, Karaarslan stated that the circulating content allegedly featuring her and Erdemir was not “authentic” and was generated using Artificial Intelligence.

“I have a long legal journey ahead, but I will confront it with strength and determination. I hope to receive your support and love during this process,” she wrote.

Karaarslan has opened up about the challenging circumstances she is enduring while asserting her innocence. “Crying, screaming, and being sad are not my ways of dealing with this; that’s not who I am,” she stated.

The refreee vowed to fight for her cause, emphasising, “I am just one of many who are suffering, and I hope to be the last.” Her Instagram following has surged to nearly half a million since the scandal erupted.

She addressed the alleged sex video linked to her, clarifying that it has nothing to do with her and is of extremely poor quality. “I am not the person in that video, and facing such serious accusations is an attack on a woman’s honor,” she added.