If NFL fans thought Patrick Mahomes was a little angry at the referees in Kansas City Chiefs’ loss to the Buffalo Bills last night, they haven’t seen anything yet. In Turkey’s top soccer league, the Super Lig, Ankaragucu club president, Faruk Koca landed a sucker punch on referee Halil Umut Meler after his team conceded a 97th minute equalizer in their game against Rizespor.
Turkish Referee Assaulted by Club President
In a scene more akin to a dramatic movie than a soccer match, the conclusion of the Super Lig game between Ankaragucu and Rizespor took a dark turn. After Rizespor scored a last-minute equalizer, a wave of shock and anger swept through the Eryaman Stadium. What transpired next was not just a display of disappointment, but an outright breach of sportsmanship. Faruk Koca, the President of Ankaragucu, in a moment of uncontrolled fury, stormed the pitch and delivered a shocking blow to referee Halil Umut Meler.
@Ankaragucu chairman ran onto the pitch to punch a referee in the turkish league today pic.twitter.com/wuLPu8MuME
— barış (@bariswhu) December 11, 2023
The chaos did not end with the initial assault. As Meler fell to the ground, he was subjected to further kicks by unidentified assailants. The scene quickly escalated into a mass brawl, with players, officials, and fans embroiled in a tumultuous situation. Amidst this turmoil, Meler, visibly shaken and injured, was escorted off the field by police, away from the escalating pandemonium.
What on earth is happening in the Turkish League? pic.twitter.com/ezuWh9MncA
— Westy 🔥⚽ (@Westy8765) December 11, 2023
Club President’s Actions Condemned Far and Wide
In the aftermath of this unprecedented incident, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took to social media, stating, “Sport means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.”
His words were echoed by the Chairman of the Turkish Football Federation, Mehmet Buyukeksi, who lamented, “Turkish football has been punched shamefully tonight. Everyone involved in this incident will pay the price.”
In response to this violent outburst, the Turkish Football Federation made the decisive move to suspend all league games indefinitely. A clear message was sent: such behavior has no place in the world of sports. Additionally, a detention order was issued for Koca, and two individuals were detained as part of the ongoing judicial investigation into the incident.
The match, overshadowed by the post-game violence, ended in a 1-1 draw. This result placed Ankaragucu at 11th in the Super Lig standings with 18 points, while Rizespor sat three spots higher on 22 points after 15 matches.
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