Celtic Champions League referee punched in the face by club president after match in Turkey, as league suspended

After the Super Lig match, the referee was punched and kicked.

In shocking scenes following a match in Turkey’s Super Lig, a UEFA referee was punched in the face by a club president, prompting the country’s football authorities to declare an immediate shutdown.

MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca knocked Halil Umut Meler to the ground after his team conceded a 97th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Caykur Rizespor.

Meler appeared to have been kicked in the head as he lay on the ground, amid chaos as players and club officials rushed towards the area.

According to Turkish media, Meler and Koca were both taken to the hospital, with Koca being placed under guard and expected to be detained following treatment, while others were also arrested for their roles in the fracas.

🚨🚨| BREAKING: Turkish Football Federation president Mehmet Büyükekşi announces all leagues in Turkey are now postponed indefinitely after the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler today.

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https://t.co/ZSrlsTOsiw

— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) December 11, 2023

Turkish football officials have reacted by suspending all league games until further notice. “The matches in all leagues have been postponed indefinitely,” Turkish FA [TFF] chairman Mehmet Buyukeksi said at a news conference.

“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. [Ankaragucu] and its managers will be punished most severely.”

Recep Erdogan, Turkey’s president, responded, saying, “I condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragucu-aykur 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.”

The events “saddened” MKE Ankaragucu, who added, “We apologise to the Turkish football public and the entire sports community for the sad incident that occurred after the aykur Rizespor match at Eryaman Stadium.”

“We strongly condemn the undesirable events that occurred after the Ankaragucu match we played today,” Caykur Rizespor said in a message to referee Meler. We convey our wishes to the entire referee community, especially the referee of the match, Halil Umut Meler, to get well soon.”

Meler, 37, is a top referee in Turkey and officiates international games for Fifa. He is also on Uefa’s elite list, and his most recent European assignment was Celtic’s 2-0 Champions League loss to Lazio in Rome two weeks ago, during which he issued seven yellow cards.

He also overtured his decision to award Celtic a late penalty after being sent to check the VAR monitor.

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