Turkey Halts All Football League Matches Following Incident Where Club President Assaulted Referee During Premier Game

The suspension of all league football games in Turkey has been announced by the Turkish Football Federation, following an incident where MKE Ankaragucu’s president, Faruk Koca, assaulted referee Halil Umut Meler at the conclusion of a top-tier match.

The altercation occurred on the field late Monday, after a Super Lig match between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor ended in a 1-1 draw. Post-match, Koca punched Meler, who subsequently fell and was kicked amid a chaotic scene involving pitch-invading fans, incited by Rizespor’s last-minute equalizer.

Following an urgent meeting convened to address this violent episode, the Federation declared an indefinite suspension of all league matches.

Meler, who suffered a minor fracture near his eye, was hospitalized but not in critical condition. He was expected to leave the hospital on Wednesday.

Koca, who had health concerns of his own, was also hospitalized. After being interrogated by prosecutors, he was detained pending trial on charges of assaulting a public official. This was announced by Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc on X (formerly Twitter).

Two individuals accused of kicking Meler were arrested, while three others were conditionally released with the obligation to report to the police.

During his interrogation, Koca denied causing significant harm, claiming he only slapped Meler, as per HaberTurk TV. He also blamed Meler for the incident, citing his “wrongful decisions” and provocative behavior.

Federation head Mehmet Buyukeksi, in response to the event, described the attack as both unfortunate and disgraceful for football. He emphasized that everyone involved in the violence would face consequences and criticized the prevailing attitude of disrespect towards referees in Turkey.

Buyukeksi also highlighted the role of irresponsible statements by club officials, managers, coaches, and TV commentators in inciting such attacks against referees.

After visiting Meler in the hospital, Buyukeksi expressed his hope that this incident would serve as a turning point for Turkish football, especially in light of the country’s role in co-hosting the 2032 European Championship with Italy.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the assault, reiterating the incompatibility of sports with violence and vowing not to tolerate violence in Turkish sports.

This incident in Turkey is part of a broader issue of violence in soccer across Europe. Recently, Greece decided to hold top-tier soccer matches without fans for two months following a riot that severely injured a police officer. France’s sports minister also called for stringent measures against football-related violence, following a fan’s death and various other incidents of disorder in the sport. Additionally, recent clashes involving Polish hooligans in a Europa Conference League game in Britain resulted in injuries and arrests.