Turkish Football Suspended

[Marty]

We say refs get a hard time of things over here but things escalated to a massive degree in Turkey this weekend and the league has now been suspended after Ankaragucu's club President attacked a referee after a late equaliser against them was allowed to stand.

Turkish football suspended after club president punches ref

Turkish football has been suspended by league bosses after the referee in a top-flight match was hospitalised after being punched to the ground by a club president at the end of the game. Faruk Koca, president of Super Lig side MKE Ankaragucu, raced onto the field and hit referee Halil Umut...

theathletic.com

Turkish football has been suspended by league bosses after the referee in a top-flight match was hospitalised after being punched to the ground by a club president at the end of the game.

Faruk Koca, president of Super Lig side MKE Ankaragucu, raced on to the field and hit referee Halil Umut Meler after a draw against Caykur Rizespor.

Meler was left hospitalised after being knocked to the floor by Koca, whose team had conceded a 97th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

“The matches in all leagues have been postponed indefinitely,” Turkish FA [TFF] chairman Mehmet Buyukeksi told a news conference after the event.

“This attack is a night of shame for Turkish football.

“Football matches are not a war, there is no death at the end. Not all teams can become champions at the same time. We all need to understand this. We invite everyone to take responsibility.”

Buyukeksi added that Ankaragucu and its managers will face the “most severe” punishment following the incident, which sparked chaotic scenes with Meler receiving several blows from others as he lay on the pitch and later requiring hospital treatment after suffering a minor fracture.

Dr Mehmet Yorubulut, the chief physician at the hospital at which Meler was treated, said of the referee’s condition: “There is no life threat for the moment. He only has bleeding around his left eye and a small fracture.

“We will [monitor] our referee until the morning due to head trauma. We will discharge him from hospital after the necessary examinations in the morning.”

Turkey’s minister of internal affairs, Ali Yerlikaya, clarified that “detention procedures” for Ankaragucu president Koca will be carried out after his hospital treatment, which he required following the pursuing melee.

Yerlikaya clarified that arrests had been made over the incident, which he “strongly condemned”.

The Association of Active Football Referees and Observers of Turkey called on all referees not to take the field, adding: “The violent attack was not only against our referee Halil Umut Meler but also against the entire referee community.”

The country’s president, Recep Erdogan, said in a statement: “I condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragucu-Caykur Rizespor match played this evening, and I wish him a speedy recovery.

“Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.”

Osman Askin Bak, Turkey’s minister of youth and sport, added: “I strongly condemn the attack on the referee of the match. We do not want to see these images on our fields, which do not suit the spirit of sports and Turkish football.”

MKE Ankaragucu said that they “are saddened by the incident that took place this evening,” adding they “apologise to the Turkish football public and the entire sports community for the sad incident that occurred after the Caykur Rizespor match at Eryaman Stadium”.

Caykur Rizespor issued their support for Meler, saying: “We convey our wishes to the entire referee community, especially the referee of the match, Halil Umut Meler, to get well soon.”

Galatasaray, one of the Turkish clubs competing in the Champions League this season, said: “Tonight is a time for all stakeholders of Turkish football to review and reflect on their actions.”

Meler, aged 37, is one of Turkey’s top referees, having overseen international matches for FIFA. He holds a position on UEFA’s elite referee list and took charge of Lazio’s Champions League group game against Celtic on November 28.

MKE Ankaragucu are 11th in the Super Lig table with 18 points, trailing three places behind Caykur Rizespor, who sit on 22 points after 15 matches.

 

[littlewilly]

I don't think he'll be involved in football any more. What a disgraceful, cowardly act.

 

[allatsea]

Why haven't the Police arrested him ?

 

[littlewilly]

Why haven't the Police arrested him ?

I read one report that he's in hospital too. Didn't say why. When the country's President makes such a strong statement, I think you can anticipate that he's in pretty hot water.

 

[Tucker]

Shameful stuff, but somehow completely unsurprising.

 

[Navin R Johnson]

I don't think he'll be involved in football any more. What a disgraceful, cowardly act.

The bloke in the 3/4 length camelhair coat got in a kick to the head in too. Shouldn't be too hard to identify.

 

[DiscoD1882]

The English disease rearing its ugly head again…..

Large dose of sarcasm!!

 

[Haddock]

Disgraceful. I hope the whole club is relegated and the club president is charged with assualt.

 

[Col_M]

The kick (to the head or chest) is just shocking.

How do people react like this to a game. Refs should just go on strike.

 

[Marty]

The English disease rearing its ugly head again…..

In what way is this an English disease?

 

[DiscoD1882]

In what way is this an English disease?

It was “sarcasm”

 

[Col_M]

It was “sarcasm”

it was misplaced.

 

[DiscoD1882]

it was misplaced.

No it wasn’t. I was referring to the fact that we are often condemned across the world for our fans and our behaviour and then we see this in many other countries.

 

[cwy21]

The kick (to the head or chest) is just shocking.

How do people react like this to a game. Refs should just go on strike.

They just did in Greece.

 

[Impspur1]

Send our Cuti over, he’l sort this shit out

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

You shouldn't get attacked for doing your job, that said there is definitely an issue around the quality of officiating in the game that seems more prevalent this season, i have found myself a lot more wound up a lot more regularly than in previous seasons, and not just watching Spurs games but other games too.

i can see this sort of thing happening more often which is shit.

 

[carmeldevil]

Hope this does not mean Tanguy comes back

 

[mightyspur]

You shouldn't get attacked for doing your job, that said there is definitely an issue around the quality of officiating in the game that seems more prevalent this season, i have found myself a lot more wound up a lot more regularly than in previous seasons, and not just watching Spurs games but other games too.

i can see this sort of thing happening more often which is shit.

That's on you for getting wound up about it though. Frustrated, I can understand, but getting wound up by a decision in a football match to the point you want to hurt, or hit the person making that decision is ridiculous. Please note, I am NOT suggesting you are one of those people.

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

That's on you for getting wound up about it though. Frustrated, I can understand, but getting wound up by a decision in a football match to the point you want to hurt, or hit the person making that decision is ridiculous. Please note, I am NOT suggesting you are one of those people.

Oh i am.

i have a picture of Graham Poll on my punchbag which i steam in to every time a marginal offside call goes against the mighty Spurs.

 

[Houdini]

It wasn't just the on field decision that led to the attack, that guy brought a load of his own problems to the match.
The entire episode is sheer and utter cowardice and bought about by a man who is wrapped up in his own entitlement and self importance.
He is now portraying the victim while hiding in a hospital .