A recent incident in the Super Lig involving a referee, which was called “a disgrace that will not be easily forgotten” by a Turkish TV station, has caused shockwaves throughout Turkish football. The situation escalated when the club owner physically attacked the referee during the game, prompting even President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to comment on the matter.
Following a game between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor in Ankara, the Turkish capital, the score ended in a 1-1 tie. This was thanks to a last-minute goal by Rizespor’s Argentinian striker, Adolfo Gaich. However, after the match, Ankaragucu’s president, Faruk Koca, entered the field and physically attacked the referee, Halil Umut Meler, by punching him in the face.
Pictures captured Meler crouching in a defensive position on the ground, with his arms shielding his head, as a fight broke out among a group of about twelve individuals. Amid the chaos, players and staff tried to contain Koca. According to the government-owned news outlet, Anadolu, “Ankaragucu supporters rallied behind Koca and showed their support.”
Meler was escorted to the referee’s room with strict security measures, and according to Anadolu, Koca “became faint after his aggressive behavior on the field.” Both individuals were then taken to a hospital in the Turkish capital. Koca later declared his resignation as president through Ankaragucu’s website.
Turkey’s interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, said on X that Koca, a former member of parliament who represented an Ankara district for almost a decade withErdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), was receiving treatment “under the supervision of our security forces”.
The Minister of Justice, Yılmaz Tunc, stated that Koca and two others were detained and interrogated after a video showed them running onto the field. Tunc explained that anyone, whether they were staff or fans, who entered the field had broken a law prohibiting violence and disorder in sports. According to the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet, Koca and the other suspects were transported to Sincan prison in Ankara.
The event caused all domestic Turkish football matches to be indefinitely suspended, as there were concerns about how it would impact the country’s global reputation. The widespread outrage within the country regarding the mistreatment of referees even caught the attention of Erdoğan, a former football player who has a strong passion for the sport and has ties to the town of Rize in the Black Sea region, where Rizespor is located.
Erdoğan used X to denounce the attack, saying that “sports means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.”
The president of Fifa, Gianni Infantino, also denounced the assault, stating that “football cannot exist without match officials. It is crucial for referees, players, fans, and staff to feel safe and protected in order to fully enjoy the game. I urge the appropriate authorities to enforce and prioritize this safety measure at every level.”
The president of the Turkish football federation, Mehmet Buyukeksi, expressed frustration over the repercussions of the incident during an urgent meeting. According to the newspaper Milliyet, Buyukeksi stated, “We have decided to indefinitely postpone all matches – we have had enough! No one should be subjected to violence like this. We must not continue to diminish the reputation of Turkish football. Let us not bring shame to Turkish football on an international level – enough is enough!”
The federation assigned fault to what it deemed as “reckless remarks” made by club leaders, managers, coaches, and even commentators towards referees, claiming that they “enabled this despicable assault” and promising consequences for all those involved at Ankaragucu.
The history of Turkish football has been marked by numerous instances of violence, such as assaults on referees. Some observers suggest that these incidents have contributed to a decrease in attendance as fans feel unsafe.
In 2010, a coach was stabbed on the field, and players and referees have been injured by lighters, stones, and knives thrown onto the pitch. Additionally, in 2015, a shooting occurred on the bus of Fenerbahce which injured the driver. As a result, the TFF suspended the Super Lig for one week.
One year after, there was a weekend of turmoil in Turkish football as Trabzonspor fans invaded the field and assaulted an assistant referee. Meanwhile, representatives from Amedspor club in Diyarbakir reported being attacked by their counterparts from Ankaragucu in the VIP stands. As a result, five people were hospitalized due to the group’s violent behavior.
Yerlikaya posted a video on Tuesday morning where he can be seen visiting Meler in the hospital. He leaned over Meler’s bed and held out a phone for Meler to speak to Erdoğan, who wished him a quick recovery. Yerlikaya condemned the incident as a “disgusting attack” and also extended his well wishes to the Turkish referee community.
Meler appears to still be visibly affected by the event and is currently wearing a cushioned neck support. According to his doctor, the 37-year-old sustained a break above his left eye and is experiencing swelling and bleeding. He is being closely monitored for a head injury, but thankfully, it is not considered life-threatening.
The official, acknowledged as one of the top referees in Turkey, is also accredited by Fifa and has been included in Uefa’s prestigious list since last year. He has officiated matches in the Europa League and was also selected to referee the first leg of the semi-finals in last season’s Europa Conference League, which featured West Ham and AZ Alkmaar.
According to reports, Meler informed a group of referees who came to see him in the hospital that the assault signified the conclusion of his career. He allegedly stated, “This job is finished for me, I am unable to proceed any longer.”
Source: theguardian.com
