ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities on Tuesday arrested the president of a top-flight soccer club after he punched a referee in the face at the end of a match, prompting the Turkish Football Federation to suspend all league matches.
MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca attacked referee Halil Umut Miller on the pitch late on Monday after the final whistle of a 1-1 draw in their Super League match against Kaykur Rezipspor.
The referee, who fell to the ground, was also kicked in an altercation that occurred when fans also stormed the field after Rizespor scored a last-minute equalizer.
The Federation suspended all league matches indefinitely after an emergency meeting held to discuss the violence.
Miller was taken to the hospital with a minor fracture near his eye but was not in serious condition. He was expected to be released from the hospital on Wednesday.
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Kuka, who was thought to be at risk of a heart attack, was hospitalized overnight. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced on the X website, formerly known as Twitter, that an arrest warrant had been issued for him pending trial on charges of injuring a public employee after being interrogated by the Public Prosecution.
Two suspects accused of kicking Miller were also arrested, while three others were released on the condition that they report regularly to police.
During his interrogation, Koca denied causing any injury, insisting that he merely slapped the referee, according to Habertürk TV. The station, citing unnamed judicial officials, reported that the club president blamed Miller for the incident, whom he accused of making “wrong decisions” and provocative actions.
Shortly after his arrest, Koca resigned as president of Ankara Gocu, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
Federation President Mehmet Buyukksi said after the emergency meeting: “This attack is unfortunate and shameful in the name of football.”
He added: “We say enough is enough,” stressing that all those involved in the violence will be punished.
Büyükükçi also blamed the attack on Turkey’s culture of disdain for rulers.
He added: “Anyone who targets the rulers and encourages them to commit crimes is an accomplice in this despicable attack.” He added: “The irresponsible statements of club presidents, technical directors, coaches and television commentators targeting referees opened the way for this attack.”
Speaking to reporters after visiting Miller in hospital, Buyukksi said he hoped the incident would become a “milestone” for change in Turkey, which has been selected to co-host the 2032 European Championships with Italy.
Buyukksi said that the violence would not affect the league championship, adding that he received a phone call from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, who expressed his support.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also condemned the attack while his ruling party began procedures to expel Koca – a former member of parliament – from the political party.
“Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sports are incompatible with violence. We will never allow acts of violence to occur in Turkish sports,” Erdogan wrote on X.
Violence in football is common in Turkey and some other European countries despite efforts to suppress it, although direct attacks on senior referees are rare.
Greece announced on Monday that all Super League soccer matches will be played without fans in stadiums for the next two months after sports-related riots last week left a police officer with life-threatening injuries.
Earlier this month, France’s sports minister called for a “global and very firm response” to violence in football after the death of a fan. Amelie Odea Castera said the measures could include a routine ban on fans traveling to away matches, which poses a risk of violence.
The season in France saw homophobic and racist chants in the stands. The team bus was pelted with stones and the match was canceled due to crowd unrest.
In another recent incident, four British police officers were injured after violent clashes with Polish hooligans from Legia Warsaw before a Europa League match against Aston Villa on November 30. Nearly 50 Polish fans were arrested after violence broke out outside the stadium.
Angela Charlton and Jerome Pugmire in Paris contributed.
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The recent incident involving the president of a Turkish football club has sparked controversy and led to the suspension of league matches. After allegedly hitting a referee during a match, the president was arrested, causing shockwaves throughout the football community. This unprecedented event has raised serious concerns about sportsmanship and the behavior of those in positions of power within the sport. The repercussions of this incident are sure to reverberate throughout the Turkish football league and prompt discussions about the need for accountability and respect within the sport.