Gay Referee Receives Offer From Alternative Soccer League
This morning, an Istanbul court held the case of Halil İbrahim Dinçdağ, who sued Turkey's soccer federation for barring him to enter referee entrance exams due to his sexual orientation.
A publicly declared homosexual, Dinçdağ complaint that a referee committee in Trabzon province barred him from attending referee entrance exams, a situation that caused pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages.
"The court is pending the expert report on pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages," Fırat Söyle, Dinçdağ's attorney, told bianet.
"We have also submitted an Istanbul Governor's Office Human Rights Committee report which confirmed my client's case to be a severe violation of human rights."
The court ordered the trial to resume on May 21.
"I have received an offer to officiate games in Gazoz League. I will officiate games until my trial is over," Dinçdağ said.
Gazoz League, Turkey's alternative soccer league, holds weekly games between 13 amateur teams every Tuesday and Wednesday in downtown soccer pitch in Istanbul.
The league aims to "underscore fair play and amateur spirit of soccer" againt industrialization of sport. (ÇT/BM)