MADRID (AP) — The Turkish Football Federation suspended all league games on Tuesday after the president of a first-division soccer club punched a referee in the…
The Turkish Football Federation suspended all league games on Tuesday after the president of a first-division soccer club punched a referee in the face.
MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca was arrested after attacking referee Halil Umut Meler following a 1-1 draw in a Super Lig game against Caykur Rizespor. Meler fell to the ground and also was kicked in a melee that occurred after fans invaded the pitch when Rizespor scored a last-minute equalizer.
Here is a look at other incidents of violence against referees in soccer and other sports around the world:
Brazil’s sports court suspended the president of fourth-division club Sergipe for 30 days after he came onto the pitch and punched a referee in a Brazilian Cup match against top-flight team Botafogo in March.
In a Colombian league derby between first-division clubs Deportivo Cali and Atletico Nacional in August, a linesman had to be treated by doctors after being hit in the head by an object thrown from the stands.
Last month, an official with Brazilian club Corinthians tried to break into the VAR room during his team’s 1-0 victory at Gremio in a Brazilian league match after one of Corinthians’ players was sent off.
English referee Anthony Taylor and his family had to be escorted away by security at an airport in Hungary after outraged Roma fans directed insults at him and threw a chair in his direction following this year’s Europa League final.
Roma largely blamed Taylor for its penalty shootout loss to Sevilla, with coach José Mourinho lashing out at him in the post-match news conference. Mourinho also was seen insulting Taylor with a series of expletives in the garage of the Puskas Arena in Budapest as his team prepared to depart the stadium.
Several players of a women’s soccer team in Congo were reportedly suspended after they attacked a referee who did not award them a penalty kick in a game in February.
Video footage online showed the referee trying to run for cover as the players and other team members chased after him.
