Referee Beaten by Club President Leads to Suspension of Turkish Football Championship
In a shocking incident, a referee of a Turkish first division match was violently attacked by several men, including the president of the Ankaragücü club. The incident has caused the suspension of the championship until further notice.
The attack took place at the end of the match between Ankaragücü and Rizespor, with the Ankara club’s manager, Faruk Koca, rushing onto the pitch and punching the match referee, Halil Umut Meler, in the face. The referee was left with a black eye and was kicked to the ground, requiring medical attention.
The Turkish Minister of the Interior, Ali Yerlikaya, announced on social media that three men, including the president of Ankaragücü, had been arrested in connection with the incident. Additionally, the Turkish Football Federation decided to indefinitely postpone all championship matches in response to the violence.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also condemned the attack, stating, “We will never allow violence to interfere in Turkish sport.”
The Turkish Referees Association called the incident a “black night” for football in the country and urged for necessary criminal measures to be taken. The Ankaragücü club also issued an apology to fans and the sports community for the “sad incident.”
The full extent of criminal and disciplinary actions to be taken in response to the attack remains to be seen as Turkish football reels from this disturbing incident.