Istanbulspor President's Controversial Actions Off the Field Adds to Turkish Soccer's Embarrassing Incidents
Matches resume in Turkish soccer following assault on referee, but controversy persists as İstanbulspor president leads team off pitch in latest embarrassing episode Criminal charges and ongoing verbal abuse threaten the reputation of the SÜper Lig
More than a week after Turkish professional soccer was suspended due to a club president assaulting a referee, matches resumed on Tuesday only for the Süper Lig to quickly become embroiled in more controversy. Ä°stanbulspor president Ecmel Faik SarıalioÄlu withdrew his players from the pitch after his team was denied a penalty call midway through the second half against Trabzonspor, resulting in the match being abandoned.
BoÄalar, who were at the bottom of the league, protested for a penalty following a collision between Trabzonspor's Batista Mendy and Ä°stanbulspor midfielder Florian Loshaj, but the game continued. Shortly after, the visiting team scored a quick goal to go up 2-1 in the 68th minute with a header from Paul Onuachu. This led SarıalioÄlu to enter the field and insist that his team walk off in the 73rd minute.
ANKARA, TURKEY - DECEMBER 11: Referee Halil Umut Meler is seen falling to the ground after Faruk Koca, President of MKE Ankaragucu, throws a punch at him following the Turkish Super Lig week 15 football match between MKE Ankaragucu and Rizespor at Eryaman Stadium in Ankara, Turkey on December 11, 2023. The match ended with a 1-1 draw. (Photo by Emin Sansar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Emin Sansar/Anadolu/Getty Images
After punching referee in the face, former president of Turkish soccer club is banned for life
Istanbulspor defender Simon Deli was spotted on one knee, appealing to Sarıalioğlu to allow the team to finish the game, but in the end, the players obeyed the club president's instructions and went to their dressing room, followed shortly by the referees. The Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported that the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) will be responsible for determining the next steps.
According to TFF rules, a team that withdraws from a competition will automatically be deemed the loser and will have the points they would have won deducted from their existing total.
Ä°stanbulspor is currently at the bottom of the table, trailing 19th-placed Pendikspor by five points. Tuesday's events could severely impact the club's chances of avoiding relegation.
"Today is a somber day for football. We will await the decision of the football federations regarding the outcome," commented Trabzonspor head coach Abdullah Avcı following the game.
In a mostly-empty stadium located in an outer suburb of Istanbul, BaŞakşehir hosted Sivasspor in the first match to kick off on Tuesday after the Süper Lig's suspension.
Children wearing shirts with the Turkish word for "respect" presented flowers to the referees before the match. The home team's manager, ÃaÄdaÅ Atan, was not present on the sideline due to a suspension for accumulating yellow cards in previous matches. The match was influenced by referee decisions, with two penalty kicks being awarded to BaÅakÅehir, both of which were scored by Polish striker Krzysztof PiÄ tek. Additionally, a goal in the 62nd minute by the Boz BaykuÅlar was initially disallowed for offside but was later given following a video assistant referee (VAR) review.
BaÅakÅehir striker Krzysztof Piatek watches his kick find the back of the net to take the lead over Sivasspor.
Scott MacLean/CNN
After the match, PiÄ tek told CNN - with a smirk - that the quality of officiating "could be better, but it was OK."
Sivasspor manager Servet Çetin shared his thoughts on refereeing in the Süper Lig when asked by CNN about Turkish soccer culture's attitude toward officials.
"We always strive to treat referees with respect and kindness," Çetin said during a post-match press conference. "Occasionally, we may become upset, but those feelings are temporary."
Today, I am hoping that the referees made the right decisions, as any mistakes could provoke a strong reaction from Sivasspor fans. This frustration builds up and can easily turn into anger," he continued. "There are errors here that are not seen in Europe.
Criminal charges
According to Murat Fevzi Tanırlı, a former Turkish pro referee who now works as a sports columnist and commentator, "Turkey is incomparably worse when it comes to respect [for referees] in the world."
Last week, the apparent view was confirmed when Faruk Koca, the former president of Ankaragücü club, violently charged onto the field and physically assaulted referee Halil Umut Meler, resulting in a black eye and a minor skull fracture, as reported by Turkish Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç.
On December 11, 2023, during the Turkish Super Lig week 15 soccer match between MKE Ankaragucu and Rizespor at Eryaman Stadium in Ankara, Turkey, Faruk Koca, President of MKE Ankaragucu, was captured on camera throwing a punch at the referee Halil Umut Meler. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. (Photo by Emin Sansar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Pierluigi Collina condemns the attack on referees as a cancer following the incident in the Turkish Süper Lig. Following the incident, at least two other individuals kicked the referee while he was down, resulting in the arrest of three people, including Koca, by Turkish authorities.
Koca, however, denied the allegations of punching Meler, stating that he only "slapped" the referee in the face. Nonetheless, he resigned from his role as the club president on December 12, expressing a desire to "prevent any additional harm to the Ankaragücü club, Ankaragücü fans, and the community I am a part of." Koca is currently facing criminal charges and a potential prison term.
The Turkish Professional Football Disciplinary Board has banned him from the sport for life, fined his former club approximately $69,000 (2,000,000 Turkish lira), and ordered Ankaragücü to play five home games without any fans present. In a lengthy interview published by Turkish newspaper Hurriyet on Wednesday, Meler expressed, "I will never forgive those who did it or those who provoked it."
Verbal abuse and attacks will continue
His first public statement regarding the incident was delivered on Saturday. "I am determined to see those responsible for the incident punished in the harshest manner possible," he stated, as reported by Anadolu Agency.
The TFF has pledged to implement a more extensive crackdown and harsher penalties for mistreatment of referees. Tanırlı informed CNN that the upcoming decisions, expected to be made next month, will determine the long-term effectiveness of any changes.
"Is this going to affect only Ankaragücü? The matches are starting this week, and the same verbal abuse and attacks will continue. That's why the federation needs to toughen the penalties for this behavior," Tanırli said.
Before the matches started on Tuesday, fans were united in condemning Koca's violent attack but were divided on whether broader reforms were needed.
"No matter how severe the consequences may be for Koca, the real issue lies with the fans. It is imperative that we prioritize our own education. Only then will the changes they implement truly make a difference," shared BaÅakÅehir fan Ceyhun Coban, who was present at the match with his son, in an interview with CNN.
Ä°stanbulspor players leave the field after their president Ecmel Faik SarıalioÄlu called them off the pitch in protest of not getting penalty.
Serkan Hacioglu/Dia Images/AP
Fatih Ates, a fellow supporter of BaÅakÅehir, also believes that stricter penalties should be imposed on wrongdoers, but he opposes the idea of imposing broader sanctions on fans or teams for the actions of a single individual. "We need to remember that this is a football game, and we are here for enjoyment, not conflict," Ates told CNN.
PiÄ tek believes that major changes are not necessary to avoid future violent incidents in the stadium. "We are all human. Football can be emotional, so we need to stay calm. I don't think this should happen again," he stated.
"We are constantly engaged in conversations with referees during games, but it's essential that we show them more respect. The recent incident with Ä°stanbulspor and its club president has once again put the spotlight on Turkish football's complicated relationship with referees, and this is unlikely to change any time soon."
