Turkish Referee Discharged from Hospital After Being Viciously Punched by Club Team President
- 5 months ago
A Turkish referee who was punched by a club president and then kicked in the head on the ground has been discharged from hospital.
Turkish football descended into chaos - on a night the nation's media labeled as a 'night of shame' - on Monday when MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca launched the vicious attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after his side drew 1-1 against Caykur Rizespor in the Super Lig.
Meler was pictured battered and bruised and wearing a neck brace in hospital on Tuesday but following a series of additional tests, he was discharged on Wednesday morning.
Pictures showed Meler waving to a crowd gathered outside the hospital's entrance, still sporting a black eye on his left side.
Speaking after discharging Meler, Ankara Hospital's chief physician had a parting message: 'He is in good spirits. He will have control wherever he goes [next]. He has no problem except for a small swelling under his eye.
'We put on a neck brace for precautionary purposes. The [cheek] fracture will heal in time, it was a small fracture anyway. There is no more bleeding.'
Turkey has been rocked by the incident, with the league set for a week-long suspension.
Shocking images of the on-pitch sucker punch showed President Koca's fist connecting with Meler's cheek beneath his left eye, sending the official to the ground. Others then laid into him with a series of kicks as he curled up on the grass covering his face.
Fans also invaded the pitch after Rizespor scored an equalizer seven minutes into eight minutes of injury time, prompting police to escort the referee to safety.
CNN Türk Istanbul News Director Nihat Uludag detailed on air how two of those who had been detained for kicking the referee in the head gained entry to the match via VIP tickets. Both fans are said to be 'known' to the club as they now are the subject of police inquiries.
Despite being on the receiving end of the attack, Turkish media reported Meler as saying 'Thank you, it's my fault' to the police as he exited.
It was not immediately clear whether Meler was apologizing for the large amount of injury time or the sending off of two players. The match featured eight minutes of injury time and a red card for each side, with Rizespor defender Emirhan Topçu sent off in the 95th minute, two minutes before the equalizing goal.
It is understood that the referee was left with a cheek fracture, while Koca - who is reported to have heart problems - was hospitalized as a precaution, but would later taken into custody following treatment, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
The Turkish Football Federation swiftly announced it was suspending all league games indefinitely after an emergency meeting was held to discuss the violence.
'This attack is unfortunate and shameful in the name of football,' federation chief Mehmet Buyukeksi said after the meeting.
'We say enough is enough,' he added, insisting that all involved in the violence would be punished.
Turkish football descended into chaos - on a night the nation's media labeled as a 'night of shame' - on Monday when MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca launched the vicious attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after his side drew 1-1 against Caykur Rizespor in the Super Lig.
Meler was pictured battered and bruised and wearing a neck brace in hospital on Tuesday but following a series of additional tests, he was discharged on Wednesday morning.
Pictures showed Meler waving to a crowd gathered outside the hospital's entrance, still sporting a black eye on his left side.
Speaking after discharging Meler, Ankara Hospital's chief physician had a parting message: 'He is in good spirits. He will have control wherever he goes [next]. He has no problem except for a small swelling under his eye.
'We put on a neck brace for precautionary purposes. The [cheek] fracture will heal in time, it was a small fracture anyway. There is no more bleeding.'
Turkey has been rocked by the incident, with the league set for a week-long suspension.
Shocking images of the on-pitch sucker punch showed President Koca's fist connecting with Meler's cheek beneath his left eye, sending the official to the ground. Others then laid into him with a series of kicks as he curled up on the grass covering his face.
Fans also invaded the pitch after Rizespor scored an equalizer seven minutes into eight minutes of injury time, prompting police to escort the referee to safety.
CNN Türk Istanbul News Director Nihat Uludag detailed on air how two of those who had been detained for kicking the referee in the head gained entry to the match via VIP tickets. Both fans are said to be 'known' to the club as they now are the subject of police inquiries.
Despite being on the receiving end of the attack, Turkish media reported Meler as saying 'Thank you, it's my fault' to the police as he exited.
It was not immediately clear whether Meler was apologizing for the large amount of injury time or the sending off of two players. The match featured eight minutes of injury time and a red card for each side, with Rizespor defender Emirhan Topçu sent off in the 95th minute, two minutes before the equalizing goal.
It is understood that the referee was left with a cheek fracture, while Koca - who is reported to have heart problems - was hospitalized as a precaution, but would later taken into custody following treatment, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
The Turkish Football Federation swiftly announced it was suspending all league games indefinitely after an emergency meeting was held to discuss the violence.
'This attack is unfortunate and shameful in the name of football,' federation chief Mehmet Buyukeksi said after the meeting.
'We say enough is enough,' he added, insisting that all involved in the violence would be punished.