Turkish football referee Halil Umu Meller has been discharged from hospital after being attacked and punched in the face by Ankaragücü president Faruk Koca after the match against Rizespor in the country's top flight on Sunday evening. Meller was treated for a minor fracture in the cheekbone area, but there were no serious consequences and he went home today.
Meller, 37, who received a call from the country's president Recep Erdogan, is an elite UEFA referee and is expected to take part in Euro 2024 in Germany next summer. "There is no way he can give up refereeing. We expect him to be part of the European Championship," announced the president of the Turkish Football Federation, Mehmet Bükeksi. He revealed that football in the country will resume on December 19 after all Turkish leagues were suspended following the incident.
Meller revealed that he received threats on his life from Koja during the incident. "He hit me under the left eye and I fell to the ground. While I was on the ground, they kicked me many times on the face and body. Farouk Koja said to me and my colleagues 'I will finish you off'. To me personally he said: 'I will I'm killing you," said Meller. /BGNES
