The Turkish Football Federation suspended all soccer league games in the country after a club president punched a referee to the ground on Monday night, sparking a wider melee which left the match official needing hospital treatment.
MKE Ankaragucu President Faruk Koca was arrested after he ran onto the field after the game and hit match official Halil Umut Meler in the face. Koca was seemingly enraged after his team conceded a last-minute goal which tied the Super Lig game against Caykur Rizespor 1-1, with the match ending as a draw.
Meler, 37, fell to the ground as fans also rushed the field, with the referee trying to protect his head from kicks. The ref was hospitalized with a fracture close to his eye. Doctors at Acibadem hospital said Meler’s condition was not serious, and he is expected to be discharged Wednesday.
Koca and two others were formally arrested for “injuring a public official,” according to the BBC. HaberTurk television reported that Koca denied injuring Meler and blamed the match official for the incident, accusing Meler of making “wrongful decisions” and provocative acts, according to the Associated Press.
Turkish Football Federation Chairman Mehmet Buyukeksi said at a news conference Monday night that all soccer matches in all leagues in Turkey would be indefinitely postponed. “This attack is a night of shame for Turkish football,” he said.
In a statement, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the incident was “totally unacceptable.” “Without match officials there is no football,” he said. “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.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also condemned the violence. “Sports means peace and brotherhood,” he wrote on X. “Sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.”