ANKARA
A Turkish football referee who suffered a shocking after-game punch at the hands of a team president earlier this week was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday.
Halil Umut Meler on Monday was punched in the face by Faruk Koca, president of Turkish Super Lig team MKE Ankaragucu, just after a game against Caykur Rizespor.
“He is fine, in good spirits. He will be checked out wherever he goes, but at the moment he has no problems other than swelling in his eye,” said Dr. Mehmet Yorubulut, the chief of medicine in Acibadem Ankara Hospital in the Turkish capital.
FIFA, Referees Committee head show support
Gianni Infantino, the president of world football governing body FIFA, called incident “totally unacceptable.”
Pierluigi Collina, head of the FIFA Referees Committee and a former legendary Italian referee, also showed his support to Meler.
“Neither the referee, nor the man, deserved to live the experience he lived yesterday … He was doing his job when he was assaulted on the field of play at the end of a match he just officiated,” said Collina in a statement.
Koca was remanded into custody on Tuesday over the attack.
Following the final whistle, Koca walked onto the pitch to punch Meler, a FIFA-licensed referee, in the face.
Koca, 58, resigned from his post on Tuesday.
In light of the incident, the Turkish Football Federation suspended all league matches until further notice.
