Turkish football referee punched to ground by club president – then kicked in the head
Turkish Football Federation called the attack on Halil Umut Meler 'vile' and described incident as 'a night of shame for Turkish football', The Telegraph reports.
Domestic football in Turkey has been suspended indefinitely after one of the country’s top referees was punched to the ground by a club president following a Super Lig match on Monday.
Faruk Koca, the president of MKE Ankaragucu, charged onto the pitch at the end of his team’s 1-1 draw with Caykur Rizespor and launched an attack on referee Halil Umut Meler.
After he was knocked to the turf, Meler then received several kicks — including one to the face — by other aggressors as a melee erupted on the pitch.
Halil Umut Meler was approached on the pitch and hit by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca, sparking chaotic scenes as players and officials joined the melee or tried to intervene.
Meler had sent off one player from each side, then allowed an equaliser for opponents Caykur Rizespor in the seventh minute of injury time to force a 1-1 draw.
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was quoted in Turkish media condemning the attack, and the Turkish Football Federation swiftly announced the suspension.
In a statement, it blamed the “despicable attack” on a years-long toxic culture towards referees that it said had been fostered by many players and club officials.
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