Collina warns: Attacks on referees will "kill soccer"
Shocking scenes occurred in the Turkish SüperLig at the beginning of the week. After a league match, a club president struck down the referee Halil Umut Meler. The league is stopped. Former world-class referee Pierluigi Collina paints a very dark picture.
Former world-class referee Pierluigi Collina has sharply criticized the violent attack on Turkish soccer referee Halil Umut Meler and warned of the consequences of the assault. The images were "appalling", but "it is even more appalling to know that there are thousands of referees around the world who are verbally and physically abused at the lower levels of soccer", said 63-year-old Collina in a statement.
These are "unknown. And the vast majority of them are young referees who are still at the beginning of their careers," said Collina, who is head of the Referees Committee at the world governing body FIFA: "A referee cannot be beaten because of a decision he or she has made, even if it is wrong. His or her car can't be set on fire or bombed because of a penalty. Unfortunately, that's not an exaggeration because car bombs and cars being set on fire are not that rare in some countries."
Collina had recently described the violence against referees as a "cancer" that has infected the game and "will kill soccer". Now the Italian has renewed his warning: "It is the responsibility of all those who love the beautiful game to take action and do something about it. Before it's too late, before this cancer kills soccer."
Erdoğan, Infantino and UEFA condemn the attack
Meler was massively attacked on Monday after the match between Ankaragücü and Rizespor in the Turkish first division. Faruk Koca, who has since resigned as president of Ankaragücü, hit Meler in the face with his fist, leaving him with a black eye. Other people also kicked the referee, who fell to the ground. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended all Süper Lig matches indefinitely.
Beyond Turkey, numerous athletes and politicians condemned the scenes. "The events after the Turkish Süper Lig match between MKE Ankaragücü and Çaykur Rizespor are completely unacceptable and have no place in our sport and in our society," wrote FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Instagram on Tuesday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also strongly condemned the attack. He did not want any more violence, he said.
UEFA condemned the violent behavior "in the strongest terms". It went on to say in a statement: "Violence and verbal abuse towards referees have no place in soccer and must stop immediately. We call on the authorities and the relevant disciplinary bodies to take decisive and necessary action against all those involved in assaults and violence against referees."
Meanwhile, matches in the Turkish soccer leagues are due to resume next week. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced December 19 as the date for the resumption of all competitions, including the SüperLig.
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In light of the violence against referee Halil Umut Meler, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly condemned the attack, expressing their disapproval through social media and public statements respectively. Additionally, UEFA joined in the condemnation, stating that such violent behavior and verbal abuse towards referees have no place in soccer and must cease immediately.
Source: www.ntv.de
