After attack on referee, Turkish leagues to restart functions from December 19

The Turkish leagues are all set to resume their function from December 19 after it was halted following the attack on a referee recently.

The Super Lig had been brought to an abrupt halt following a shocking altercation involving Ankaragucu’s then-president Faruk Koca and referee Halil Umut Meler. The distressing episode unfolded on a Monday evening, at the climax of a match that saw Ankaragucu draw 1-1 with Rizespor. In the aftermath of a last-gasp equalizer by the visiting team, Koca stormed onto the field and delivered a forceful punch to Meler’s face, an act of aggression that left the referee prone on the turf, fending off further kicks as he lay defenseless.

The gravity of the assault was underscored by the immediate arrest of Koca the following day, prompting the Turkish Football Federation to suspend all activity in the country. The incident not only led to Koca’s detention but also resulted in his resignation from the presidency of Ankaragucu.

As the dust settled, Meler was hospitalized, emerging with visible signs of the ordeal—a swollen and bruised eye—though thankfully spared of more serious health complications. A fracture near his eye, while significant, was deemed non-threatening and expected to mend over time.

Mehmet Buyukeksi, the chairman of the Turkish Football Federation, announced that the league would resume on December 19, signaling a resolve to move past the violence without undermining the severity of the incident. The federation has taken a firm stance, vowing to impose severe penalties on all individuals involved in the attack on Meler.

The chairman also said that this will act as a turning point for Turkish football.

“We will never allow attacks or disproportinate pressure on our referees. This incident needs to become a milestone, a turning point for Turkish football,” Buyukeksi told reporters in Istanbul.