Ankara (Reuters)
The chief doctor said that the referee who was punched by the president of one of the Turkish Super League clubs on the field was discharged from the hospital, suffering from swelling in the eye, without any other health problems.
Last Monday, at the end of a match in the Turkish Super League, referee Halil Umut Miller received a punch in the face, and was then “kicked” after falling on the field.
Television footage showed him leaving a hospital in Ankara and getting into a black car.
Mehmet Yoropolut, chief physician at Acıbadem Hospital, said that the head fracture he suffered would heal in time, and the bleeding in Miller's left eye had almost completely stopped.
The authorities arrested Faruk Koca, president of Ankaracucu Club, on charges of assaulting Miller at the end of the match.
Miller was previously quoted as telling police that Koca also threatened to kill him during the incident.
Koca resigned from the presidency of Ankaracucu club, and the club later said that his deputy, Ismail Mert Firat, would succeed him in the position, based on the selection of the board of directors.
The violence occurred at the end of Ankaracucu's home match against Rizspor, and Koca stormed the field and “punched” Miller after the final whistle, after Rizspor scored a 1-1 equalizer in the 97th minute.
The Turkish Federation said that Ankara Cugu, its president, club officials, and all those involved in the attack on the referee “will be punished with the harshest possible penalties.”
The Turkish Federation also suspended all local competitions after the incident, and Miller, a 37-year-old international referee since 2017, officiated the match between Lazio and Celtic in the group stage of the Champions League on November 28.
Referees in Turkey are often criticized by coaches and club presidents for their decisions, but they are rarely targeted by violent attacks.
Ankaracucu ranks 11th in the league standings with 18 points, three places behind Rezpor, who has 22 points from 15 matches.
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