Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up
All Scores
Odds by

Arrest of club president ordered after punching referee; Turkey suspends all games

The arrest of the president of Turkish club MKE Ankaragucu, Faruk Koca, has been ordered as he ran onto the pitch and punched referee Halil Umut Meler after his team let in a late goal as all football in Turkey has also been suspended.

A Turkish court has ordered the arrest of Koca, according to justice minister Yilmaz Tunc as outrage grows over the violence that Meler suffered at Ankaragucu.

The Turkish club have issued an apology on their social media accounts, stating: “As MKE Ankaragücü Sports Club, we are saddened by the incident that took place this evening. We 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.”

What happened?

An ugly melee broke out at the final whistle after Ankaragucu had let in an 97th-minute equalizer at home against Caykur Rizespor in the SuperLig, the top-flight of Turkish football.

Meler, 37, was punched in the face by Koca and also kicked multiple while he was on the floor as he was eventually led to safety by police.

The referee had earlier sent off a player from each side as the two midtable teams squared off.

Latest on Meler’s condition

The referee spent the night in hospital and chief doctor of Acibadem hospital, Mehmet Yorubulut, said Meler had not suffered brain damage and the bleeding and swelling in his left eye had started to decrease.

It is believed he suffered a facial fracture and Meler was photographed in hospital wearing a neck brace.

Meler is on the list of UEFA’s elite referee and was in charge of a Champions League group stage game between Lazio and Celtic last month, while he has also officiated games for FIFA and is one of Turkey’s top referees.

All game suspended

The Turkish Football Federation has announced that play in all leagues has been suspended with immediate effect.

“We are following Halil Umut Meler’s health condition closely and wish a speedy recovery to our valuable referee. This inhumane and despicable attack was made against all stakeholders of Turkish Football. Everyone who has targeted referees and encouraged crimes against referees is complicit in this despicable crime. The irresponsible statements of club presidents, managers, coaches and TV commentators targeting referees have paved the way for this vile attack today.

“In coordination with our state, all criminal proceedings deserved have been initiated against those responsible and instigators of this inhumane attack. The responsible club, the club president, its managers and all the criminals who attacked Halil Umut Meler will be punished in the most severe way. By the decision of the Turkish Football Federation Board of Directors, matches in all leagues have been postponed indefinitely.”

The president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, slammed Koca and said he was “saddened” by the incident: “Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino called the events “totally unacceptable” and added that they had “no place in our sport or society” before urging the Turkish authorities to take the strongest possible measures: “Without match officials there is no football. Referees, players, fans and staff have to be safe and secure to enjoy the game, and I call on the relevant authorities to ensure that this is strictly implemented and respected at all levels.”