Turkish Football League Faces Suspension As Ankaragucu President Lands Punch On Referee

During a match between Super Lig home match between Ankaragucu and Rizespor, Ankaragucu president punched a referee in the face at the end of what was their home fixture which ended in a draw.

Referee Halil Umut Meler falls to the ground after Faruk Koca, President of MKE Ankaragucu throws a punch to him following the Turkish Super Lig week 15 football match between MKE Ankaragucu and Rizespor at Eryaman Stadium in Ankara, Turkiye on December 11, 2023. The match ended 1-1.

Football is one sport in which players and officials tend to lose their cools in the heat of the moment. Incidents of violent clashes are not very uncommon and even fans have gotten into fights in the past. And this time around a bizarre instance has happened during a Turkish League fixture (TFF). During a match between Super Lig home match between Ankaragucu and Rizespor, Ankaragucu president punched a referee in the face at the end of what was their home fixture which ended in a draw.

Ankaragucu President Faruk Koca stormed on to the pitch and smashed referee Halil Umut Melet after the final whistle blew soon after Rizespor had managed to score the equalising goal in the 97th minute to pull off a 1-1 draw at the Eryaman Stadium on Monday (December 11).

"The Turkish Football Federation has decided to suspend all games in all leagues indefinitely," the federation posted on micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter).

Shocking video shows the moment a football referee is punched to the ground in a vicious assault by an angry club president during a wild full-time brawl in Turkey. #9News

— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) December 12, 2023

"The related club, the club chairman, club officials and all those guilty of attacking referee Umut Meler will be punished in the strongest terms possible," the post on X added.

It is being reported that the 37-year-old needed hospital treatment. However, the chief physician of the hospital where he was admitted has confirmed that there is no threat to his life. However, the referee has left him bleeding and a small fracture.

Turkuiye President Condemns Attack On Referee

President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the attack on the referee.

"I condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragucu-Çaykur Rizespor match played this evening, and I wish him a speedy recovery," Erdogan wrote.

"Sport means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports," he added.