The Turkish Football Federation has suspended all league games in the country following a violent incident at the end of a top-flight match. The president of MKE Ankaragucu, Faruk Koca, punched referee Halil Umut Meler in the face after the final whistle of a Super Lig game against Caykur Rizespor, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The referee, who is considered one of Europe's elite referees, fell to the ground and was then kicked by fans who invaded the pitch after Rizespor scored a last-minute equalizer.
In response to the violence, the Turkish Football Federation held an emergency meeting and announced the indefinite suspension of all league games. Meler was hospitalized with a slight fracture near his eye but was not in serious condition and was expected to be discharged soon. Koca, who was reportedly at risk of a heart attack, was also hospitalized overnight. He was later ordered to be arrested pending trial on charges of injuring a public official.
Two suspects accused of kicking Meler were also arrested, while three others were released on the condition that they report regularly to the police. During questioning, Koca denied causing any injury and claimed that he only slapped the referee. He also blamed Meler for "wrongful decisions" and provocative acts.
Mehmet Buyukeksi, the chief of the Turkish Football Federation, condemned the attack and called for all those involved in the violence to be punished. He also attributed the attack to a culture of contempt toward referees in Turkey and criticized the irresponsible statements of club presidents, managers, coaches, and television commentators that target referees.
Both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and FIFA President Gianni Infantino condemned the attack and emphasized that there is no place for violence in football. Erdogan stated that sports should promote peace and brotherhood, while Infantino called for the strict implementation and respect of safety and security measures for referees, players, fans, and staff.
Ankaragucu apologized for the incident and expressed sadness over the event. Violence in soccer is unfortunately common in Turkey and other European countries, despite efforts to address the issue. In response to a recent sport-related riot in Greece, the country announced that all top-flight soccer matches would be played without fans in the stadiums for the next two months.
