In Turkey, All Matches In All Football Leagues Have Been Postponed

The Turkish Football Federation has postponed matches in all the country's leagues due to an incident on Monday involving the assault of a referee.

At the end of the 15th round match of the Turkish Super Lig between Ankaragucu and Rizespor in Ankara (1:1), the president of the Ankaragucu club, Faruk Kocja, struck referee Halil Umut Meler. After the final whistle, he ran onto the field accompanied by several people and hit the referee, causing him to fall to the ground. While the referee was lying on the field, he was kicked several times. The incident was condemned by the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the Turkish Minister of the Interior, Ali Erlikaya, announced that there were detainees in connection with the incident.

«The Turkish Football Federation held an emergency meeting. We have postponed matches in all leagues indefinitely. This attack is a night of shame for Turkish football. We believe that Turkish football does not deserve this. We say, 'Enough,'» said the head of the football federation, Mehmet Buyukeksi, as quoted by the newspaper Hürriyet.

Published by Patrick Jane
12.12.2023