Turkey suspends football as club president Faruk Koca assaults top referee Halil Umut Meler

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The match was full of controversy, with Meler issuing red cards to one player from each team and allowing an injury-time equalizer for Rizespor, resulting in a 1-1 draw..

The TFF, in a statement, laid blame on the pervasive negative rhetoric directed at referees by club presidents, managers, coaches, and TV commentators, stating that such behavior laid the groundwork for the reprehensible attack on Meler..

Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya visits referee Halil Umut Meler who was punched in the face at the end of yesterday's Super Lig match..

Professional football in Turkey was suspended indefinitely after the president of MKE Ankaragucu, Faruk Koca, physically assaulted referee Halil Umut Meler at the end of a Super Lig match...

The assault occurred after a contentious Super Lig match where Meler issued red cards to players from both teams and allowed an injury-time equalizer, sparking outrage from the MKE Ankaragucu president...

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