It is an image that deeply shocked
European football… and even world football. In the Turkish capital, MKE Ankaragücü was held to a draw by Rizespor after conceding a goal in the final moments of the match. And while one of his players was sent off in the 50th minute of play, Faruk Koca, the president of the capital club, was very angry with the refereeing decisions of Halil Umut Meler. The latter then rushed onto the field and punched him which caused him to fall to the ground. On the ground, the man in black was beaten up by the president's cronies, leaving Mr. Umut Meler in a worrying state.
.
KAMUOYUNA DUYURULUR pic.twitter.com/GiNeRiTBM6
— TFF (@TFF_Org) December 11, 2023
A scene of great violence, which forced the Turkish authorities to take a radical decision. After an exceptional meeting, it was decided to completely stop the Süper Lig Championship until further notice. “We are closely monitoring the state of health of Halil Umut Meler and wish a speedy recovery to our precious referee (…) Today, this despicable attack is not only directed against Halil Umut Meler. Today, this inhuman and despicable attack was committed against everyone involved in football. Following the decision of the board of directors of the Turkish Football Federation, the matches of all leagues have been postponed for an indefinite period ,” it is explained in the press release from the Turkish Football Federation, adding that they want to punish the attackers “as severely as possible” .