Ankaragucu president punches referee after Turkish Super Lig match

A Turkish Super Lig game erupted in chaos on Monday night when the match referee was punched in the head by the president of one of the teams before being kicked in the face as he lay on the ground.

Ankaragucu’s president, Faruk Koca, punched the referee, Halil Umut Meler, in the face at the end of their home match after Rizespor scored a 97th-minute equaliser. Koca walked on to the pitch and hit the referee when the final whistle blew in the 1-1 draw at Eryaman Stadium.

Meler had sent off one player from each side before the Rizespor leveller.

According to Turkish media, both Meler and Koca were subsequently taken to hospital, with Koca under guard and expected to be detained following treatment. The incident quickly reached as far as Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was quoted in Turkish media condemning the attack. “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,” said Erdoğan.

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

In the wake of the violence, all league matches have now been suspended. “The matches in all leagues have been postponed indefinitely,” the Turkish FA [TFF] chairman Mehmet Buyukeksi confirmed.

The 37-year-old Meler is on Uefa’s elite list and has previously officiated in the Champions League, as well as taking charge of West Ham’s Conference League semi-final first leg against AZ Alkmaar last season.

Rizespor expressed support for the referee in a statement, saying: “We strongly condemn the undesirable events that occurred after the Ankaragucu match we played today.

“We wish the entire referee community, especially the referee of the match, Halil Umut Meler, to get well soon.”