Watch: Club president knocks down referee with a single at punch at Turkish league game | Football News

In shocking scene Turkey’s top tier, Ankaragucu’s president Faruk Koca punched the referee in the face at the end of their Super Lig home match against Rizespor. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. Referee Halil Umut Meler was knocked to the ground MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca, who ran on to the pitch after his team conceded a 96th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 Super Lig draw with Caykur Rizespor.
Ankaragucu fans invaded the pitch after the game and Meler was also kicked when he fell, though it was unclear who his assailants were. Meler eventually made it to the dressing room with the help of the police.

🚨Chaos in Turkey’s Super Lig match tonight🚨
The club president of Turkish side Ankaragucu storms onto the field and punches the referee after the opponent scored a 97th minute equalizer 😭
The ref receives a few kicks to the head and leaves the game with a swollen black eye.. pic.twitter.com/UV0752fPZI
— Pub Football (@pubfootyus) December 12, 2023
Meler, 37, is one of Turkey’s top referees and officiates international games for Fifa. He is also on Uefa’s elite referee l.
“The Turkish Football Federation has decided to suspend all games in all leagues indefinitely,” the federation posted on X.
“The related club, the club chairman, club officials and all those guilty of attacking referee Umut Meler will be punished in the strongest terms possible.”
Referee Halil Umut Meler lies on the ground at the end the Turkish Super Lig soccer match between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor. (Reuters)
Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also commented on the issue and has wished the match-referee speedy recovery.
“I condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragücü-Çaykur Rizespor match played this evening, and I wish him a speedy recovery,” he wrote on X.
“Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.”

Bu akşam oynanan MKE Ankaragücü-Çaykur Rizespor müsabakası sonrasında hakem Halil Umut Meler’e yapılan saldırıyı kınıyor, kendisine geçmiş olsun dileklerimi iletiyorum.
Spor, barış ve kardeşlik demektir. Spor şiddetle bağdaşmaz. Şiddetin Türk sporunun içinde barınmasına asla…
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) December 11, 2023
Turkey’s Miner of Internal Affairs, Ali Yerlikaya, announced that Koca was being treated in hospital under the supervision of security forces, with detention procedures to follow.
Yerlikaya later added: “I strongly condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler at the end of the MKE Ankaragucu-Çaykur Rizespor match.
“Such incidents are unacceptable on our green fields, which are the ground of peace and friendship. We are following this sad event.
“I offer my best wishes to our referee Halil Umut Meler, who successfully represents Turkish refereeing abroad.”

MKE Ankaragücü-Çaykur Rizespor karşılaşmasının sonunda hakem Halil Umut Meler’e yönelik gerçekleştirilen saldırıyı şiddetle kınıyorum.
Barışın ve dostluğun zemini olan yeşil sahalarımızda bu tür olaylar kabul edilemez.
Yaşanan bu üzücü olayın takipçisiyiz❗️
Türk hakemliğini…
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) December 11, 2023
A detention order has been issued for Koca, Interior Miner Ali Yerlikaya said in a post on X, adding that two people have already been detained as part of a judicial investigation into the incident.
“Turkish football has been punched shamefully tonight. Everyone involved in this incident will pay the price,” TFF Chairman Mehmet Buyukeksi said, according to TRT.
In its own statement, Rizespor used stronger language, calling for ‘no violence in sports’.
The team said: “We strongly condemn the undesirable events that occurred after the Ankaragucu match we played today.
We convey our wishes to the entire referee community, especially the referee of the match, Halil Umut Meler, to get well soon.”