Turkish referee who was attacked on-field leaves hospital with a black eye 36 hours after the incident

The violence came at the end of Ankaragucu’s home match against Rizespor. Its president, Koca, entered the field and hit Meler after the final whistle.

Turkish football referee Umut Meler leaves the hospital where he was treated in Ankara, on December 13, 2023, one day after he was attacked on the pitch by a club president. | Photo Credit: AFP

The referee who was punched on the pitch by the head of a top-tier Turkish football club was released from hospital on Wednesday with a swollen eye but no other health issues, the chief doctor said.

On Monday evening at the end of a Super Lig match, referee Halil Umut Meler was punched in the face and then kicked while lying on the pitch. On Wednesday morning, TV footage showed him leaving the Ankara hospital and entering a black van.

Mehmet Yorubulut, chief doctor at Acibadem hospital, said the head fracture he suffered would heal in time. “The bleeding in Meler’s left eye has almost completely stopped,” he added.

Referee Halil Umut Meler holds his face as he lies on the ground after being punched by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca, center, at the end of the Turkish Super Lig match between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor in Ankara. | Photo Credit: AP

The president of Ankaragucu club, Faruk Koca, was arrested on Tuesday for attacking Meler at the end of the match. Meler had earlier been quoted as telling police that Koca had also threatened to kill him during the incident.

The violence came at the end of Ankaragucu’s home match against Rizespor. Koca entered the field and hit Meler when the final whistle blew after Rizespor scored a 97th minute equaliser in the 1-1 draw.

The federation said Ankaragucu, its chairman, club officials and all those guilty of attacking the referee will be “punished in the strongest terms possible”. It also suspended all matches.