Pierluigi Collina Condemns Referee Assaults as a Detrimental Affliction Following Turkish Süper Lig Incident
Pierluigi Collina strongly condemns attacks on referees, labeling them a grave threat to football Recent assault on Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to tackle this dangerous issue before it jeopardizes the very essence of the game
FIFA official Pierluigi Collina has once again expressed his belief that physical and verbal abuse towards referees is a "cancer" that could threaten the future of football. This comes after Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler was attacked, being punched by Faruk Koca, the former president of top-tier Turkish club Ankaragücü. Meler also reported being kicked by two others after falling to the ground. The incident was documented in a statement released by Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu.
Koca eventually stepped down from his role, expressing a desire to prevent any additional damage to the club, its supporters, the community, and his family.
Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, issued a statement, saying, "Neither the referee, nor anyone, should have to endure the experience [Meler] had in Ankara."
While performing his duties, he was attacked on the field after officiating a match. The sight of Halil Umut sprawled on the ground, shielding his head with his hands while being assaulted, along with the visible bruise under his eye, is truly disturbing.
Meler leaves a hospital in Ankara on Wednesday.
Cagla Gurdogan/Reuters
Meler also claimed that Koca had threatened to kill him following the match between Ankaragücü and Rizespor.
Meler was seen leaving the field with a swollen left eye and a bag of ice, escorted by security with riot shields. According to TRT, he was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Turkish Minister of Justice, Yılmaz Tunç, stated on Twitter that the three individuals who attacked the referee have been arrested for the crime of injuring a public official while performing their duties on a sports field.
Koca is one of three people who have been arrested, as stated by Tunç. However, Koca has denied the allegations, stating that he only "slapped" Meler in the face due to "the referees' wrong decisions and provocative behavior," and that he did not cause any fractures.
Meler was discharged from the hospital in Ankara on Wednesday, with Mehmet Yörübulut, the chief doctor of Acıbadem Ankara Hospital, informing reporters that he has "no problems other than swelling in his eye."
The Turkish Football Federation had temporarily halted all matches in the country's leagues after the attack, but revealed on Wednesday that games will resume on December 19.
Meler wore a neck brace as a precaution while in hospital.
Sports Ministry/Reuters
At the IFAB Annual Business Meeting in London last month, on November 28, Collina spoke to the media and expressed his concerns about the increasing violence and abuse targeting referees in football. He emphasized that such behavior poses a significant threat to the sport and cannot be tolerated. Collina highlighted the alarming instances of referees being physically attacked or having their property vandalized, underscoring the urgent need to address this issue.
Collina, a former international referee, stated that he has a personal connection with Meler and emphasized that the attack on Monday was not an isolated event.
"Even more alarming is the knowledge that countless referees worldwide experience verbal and physical abuse at lower levels of the sport, often going unreported by the media. These referees are unrecognized, and the majority of them are young officials in the early stages of their careers."
Earlier this year, a report by the BBC and the Referees Association in England revealed that 293 out of 927 referees who participated in a survey reported being physically abused by spectators, players, coaches, or managers. Additionally, 908 respondents said they had experienced verbal abuse while officiating.
CNNs Thomas Schlachter, Isil Sariyuce, Hande Atay Alam and Homero De la Fuente contributed to reporting.
