Professional soccer in Turkey has been suspended after a prime referee was punched to the bottom by a membership president on the finish of a match within the nation’s highest league.
Halil Umut Meler was approached and hit on the pitch by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca, sparking a melee of gamers and officers both becoming a member of the chaos or making an attempt to intervene.
Meler had despatched off one participant from both sides within the Super Lig conflict, earlier than permitting an equaliser for opponents Rizespor within the seventh minute of harm time to pressure a 1-1 draw.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) condemned the assault and introduced all matches shall be suspended indefinitely, whereas President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned sports activities are about “peace and brotherhood”.
In an announcement, The TFF blamed the incident on a poisonous tradition in direction of referees fostered by gamers and membership officers over years.
“The irresponsible statements of club presidents, managers, coaches and TV commentators targeting referees have paved the way for this vile attack today,” mentioned the TFF.
“In coordination with our state, all of the legal proceedings they deserve have begun to be carried out in opposition to these accountable and instigators of this inhumane assault.
“The responsible club, its president, its managers and all criminals who attacked Meler will be punished in the most severe way.
“By the choice of the TFF Board of Directors, matches in all leagues have been postponed indefinitely.”
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Both Meler and Koca have been taken to hospital, in accordance with Turkish media, with Koca below guard and anticipated to be detained after remedy.
Meler, 37, is on UEFA’s elite record and final season took cost of West Ham’s Conference League semi-final first leg in opposition to AZ Alkmaar.
President Erdogan mentioned in an announcement: “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.
“Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sports are incompatible with violence. We won’t ever enable violence to happen in Turkish sports activities.”
Source: information.sky.com”