The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has announced that all matches in all professional leagues in the country are postponed without a date, as a disciplinary measure after the attack to a referee that occurred last night after the Ankaragücü – Rizespor match (1-1).
“We strongly condemn the vile and inhuman attack against Halil Umut Meler, a FIFA licensed referee, by unknown criminals after the Super League match“says the TFF statement, issued this morning after an urgent meeting of the organization’s leadership.
“The Board of Directors of the Federation has decided to postpone the matches of all leagues without a date“, announces the note.
The Ankaragücü – Rizespor match, held at the Eryaman Stadium in Ankara last night, ended 1-1 after Ankaragücü scored first in the 14th minute and finally Rizespor in the 90+7 minute.
The fans of the host team had protested a second yellow card against Ankaragücü striker Ali Sowe in the 50th minute, which meant his expulsion, although they also A Rizespor player was sent off for a double yellow in the 90+5 minute.
Immediately after finishing the match, Ankaragücü president Faruk Koca went down to the pitch and punched the referee in the face, attack in which several other people joined and which ended with the referee lying on the ground, before being rescued by police intervention.
Reactions
“This attack was not committed only against Halil Umut Meler, but against all participants in Turkish football,” the Federation says today.
“All punitive measures will be applied against those responsible and the instigators of this attack. “The responsible club, the club president, the directors and those who attacked Halil Umut Meler will be punished in the most serious way,” he promises.
“All those who encourage attacks on referees are complicit in this crime: club presidents, managers, coaches, players and television commentators“adds the TFF note.
Umut Meler, with his eye swollen after the punch.
Several ministers condemned the incident last night, as did the president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who wished the referee a speedy recovery in a message on the X network, formerly Twitter.
“Sport is peace and brotherhood. In Turkish sport we will never allow violence,” the president tweeted.
The Ankaragücü coach, Emre Belozogluapologized for the incident on behalf of the team.
“There’s nothing that can be said, just that I’m very sorry,” the coach said.
After going to the hospital for heart problems, Koca was taken to court this morning, and The police have also arrested five other suspects of participating in the attack..
Koca, a 59-year-old businessman who was an AKP deputy from 2002 to 2011, Erdogan’s Islamist partyhas been president of Ankaragücü for two years, a club founded in 1910 that usually plays in the Super League.
On Turkish social networks, messages calling for the resignation of Mehmet Büyükeksi, the president of the TFF, for not having been able to prevent an incident like this and for considering that the decision to postpone all matches is not appropriate. The Ottoman football leader has declared that The referee has a 10-day-old baby. “He wants to come home”he assumes.
Official visit
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, has personally visited the attacked referee, Umut Meler, who is believed to be thinking about retiring from refereeing, as he has stated that he can’t take it anymore. We talk about current number 1 in Turkish arbitration.
In fact, the leader himself put the president of Turkey, RT Erdogan, on the phone, who wished him a speedy recovery. However, according to local media, a large group of professional colleagues have passed through the hospital facilities to show their support for Umut Meler.
2023-12-12 08:52:22
#Turkish #football #stops #attack #Ankaragücü #referee
