Football will resume its rights in Türkiye. Two days after the lynching of a referee during a first division match in Ankara, the championship will be able to resume from December 19, the president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced on Wednesday.
“All leagues will resume on Tuesday, December 19,” indicated Mehmet Büyükeksi, the head of the federation, who announced on the night of Monday to Tuesday the “sine die postponement” of all matches. Only matches from the 16th day of the Turkish Süper Lig will be postponed.
Mehmet Büyükeksi clarified that sanctions against Ankaragücü could be announced this Thursday. Club president Faruk Koca, author of the punch against referee Halil Umut Meler, for his part announced his resignation on Tuesday evening, while he was placed in detention on the outskirts of the capital.
The referee has left the hospital
The referee of the match between Ankaragücü and Rizespor was beaten Monday evening by several men, including the president of the club in the capital, Ankara. Faruk Koca, the leader of Ankaragücü, rushed onto the pitch at the final whistle before punching the game manager in the face. Rizespor had just equalized (1-1) a few moments earlier in injury time at Ankaragücü, who had been denied a goal earlier in the match.
You can watch the press conference, where TFF President Mehmet Büyükekşi made statements about the agenda, live on the TFF YouTube channel. https://t.co/SpLSyo1L11
— TFF (@TFF_Org) December 13, 2023
Falling to the ground, the referee curled up into a ball to protect himself, but was subsequently kicked several times in the face by two other men. The three perpetrators of the blows were detained on Tuesday, while the referee was hospitalized, notably suffering from head trauma. Halil Umut Meler was released from Ankara hospital on Wednesday morning.
