A Turkish Super Lig game descended in to chaos on Monday night when the match referee was punched in the head by the president of one of the teams before being kicked in the face as he lay on the ground.
Ankaragucu’s president, Faruk Koca, punched the referee, Halil Umut Meler, in the face at the end of their home match after Rizespor scored a 97th-minute equaliser. Koca walked on to the pitch and hit the referee when the final whistle blew in the 1-1 draw at Eryaman Stadium.
The Turkish league has been suspended following the incident. According to local media, both Meler and Koca were subsequently taken to hospital, with Koca under guard and expected to be detained after treatment. Meler had sent off one player from each side before the Rizespor leveller.
The incident quickly reached as far as Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was quoted in Turkish media condemning the attack. “I condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragucu-Caykur Rizespor match played this evening, and I wish him a speedy recovery,” said Erdoğan. “Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sports are incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.”
The Turkish FA [TFF] chairman, Mehmet Buyukeksi, later confirmed that the Super Lig was “postponed indefinitely” after the violent incident.
The 37-year-old Meler is on Uefa’s elite list and has previously officiated in the Champions League, as well as taking charge of West Ham’s Conference League semi-final first leg against AZ Alkmaar last season.
Rizespor expressed support for the referee in a statement, saying: “We strongly condemn the undesirable events that occurred after the Ankaragucu match we played today. “We wish for the referee of the match, Halil Umut Meler, to get well soon.”
“We are saddened by the incident that took place this evening,” said a club statement from Ankaragucu. “We apologise to the Turkish football public and the entire sporting community for the sad incident that occurred after the match.”
