EUR
enA black day in the history of Turkish soccer
These are the headlines that can be seen in all Turkish media today. The reason for this was an unprecedented incident at a soccer match between Rizespor and Ankaragücü. At the end of the match, Ankaragücü club president Faruk Koja ran onto the pitch and hit the referee in the face with his fist, who fell to the lawn. Other soccer players joined the beating. The team members were unhappy that referee Halil Umut Meler did not count the goal scored by Ankaragücü and later removed one player from the field.
Meler was given medical attention and all those involved in the brawl were detained. Be that as it may, no action of the referee justifies the behavior of the players. In addition, the consequences can be deplorable not only for Ankaragücü, but also for the whole Turkish soccer in Turkey - the holding of EURO-2032 in Turkey is in question! An investigation is now underway and all planned soccer matches in Turkey have been postponed indefinitely. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has publicly condemned the players' actions.
