Violent assault on referee in Süper Lig triggers suspension of all matches in Turkey
The attack on a referee immediately following a match in Turkey’s top tier Super Lig has stirred widespread condemnation and prompted the suspension of all matches.
The incident occured late yesterday, in the match between Ankaragücü and Rizespor, when the home team’s president, Faruk Koca, entered the pitch, along with club officials and supporters.
Koca punched referee Halil Umut Meler in the face, leading to his fall. Subsequently, other individuals continued the assault by kicking the fallen referee. The attacks resulted in swelling in one of his eyes.
The police detained Koca and two others after the incident. The three individuals were arretsed by a court this morning.
Reactions
In response to the assault, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, along with government officials, expressed their condemnation. President Erdoğan took to social media, stating, "I condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragücü-Çaykur Rizespor match tonight. Violence has no place in sports."
Following the incident, the Turkish Football Federation promptly declared the indefinite suspension of all matches, underscoring the severity of the assault.
Minister of Youth and Sports, Osman Aşkın Bak, denounced the violence on social media, saying, "We do not want to witness these scenes on our fields, which go against the spirit of sports and Turkish football."
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya expressed concern for the injured referee and revealed that Faruk Koca, the Ankaragücü Club President, is currently undergoing medical treatment under police supervision. Yerlikaya conveyed his wishes for Koca's recovery, adding, "After treatment, he will undergo detention procedures."
Addressing the assailants, Yerlikaya stated, "Individuals identified as 'K.Ç and Ş. Y. Ş' who attacked our referee will be taken into custody."
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç confirmed the initiation of a legal investigation into those responsible for the attack, emphasizing that all suspects would be identified, and appropriate legal action would be taken.
In an official statement, the Ankara Batı Chief Public Prosecutor's Office declared, "A comprehensive investigation has been launched into the act of violence against the referee after the Ankaragücü-Çaykur Rizespor Trendyol Süper Lig match."
The assault prompted an extraordinary meeting of the Turkish Football Federation, as reported by BeIN Sports, underscoring the gravity of the situation within the football community. (EMK/VK)