A Turkish referee who was punched by a club president and left hospitalized by the attack will take charge of England’s last-16 match against Slovakia on Sunday.
The Three Lions will be hoping to prove their doubters wrong when they take on the 45th-ranked side in the FIFA rankings at the Arena AufSchalke after a shaky start to their campaign.
With two draws and one win in their first three games, Gareth Southgate’s team will be hoping for a strong performance on the night.
The match will be officiated by Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler, who was brutally attacked during a “night of shame” in December.
Six months ago, Turkish football was plunged into chaos when MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca launched a vicious attack on referee Meler after his team drew 1-1 against Caykur Rizespor in the Super Lig.
Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler, who was punched by a club chairman and then kicked in the head on the ground, will take charge of England’s last-16 clash with Slovakia on Sunday.
In December, Meler fell to the ground after the blow and suffered a black eye.
The Three Lions will look to put in a dominant display after a disappointing start.
Abhorrent footage showed Koca’s fist connecting with the referee’s cheek just below his left eye, causing the referee to fall to the ground.
Others then attacked him with a series of kicks as he curled up on the ground covering his face.
The referee left the field and said “it’s my fault” while being escorted by riot police, before the country’s Football Federation shut down the entire league.
Meler was later photographed battered, bruised and wearing a neck brace in hospital, but after a series of further tests, he was released a day later.
The Turkish football federation’s disciplinary board also ordered Ankaragucu to play five home games behind closed doors and fined the club 60,000 euros ($66,000).
FIFA President Gianni Infantino criticised the incident, calling it “totally unacceptable”, while President Koca defended himself, saying the referee had “thrown himself to the ground”.
Turkish President Erdogan also condemned the attack. “Sport means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence in Turkish sport,” he wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Meler had received a visit from Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya before being discharged.
After the attack, the Turkish Football Federation held an emergency meeting to discuss the violence, with Mehmet Buykeksi, head of the organisation, stating that the incident was “shameful”.
“This attack is unfortunate and shameful in the name of football,” federation chief Mehmet Buyukeksi said after the meeting.
“We say enough is enough,” he added. “All those who have attacked referees and encouraged them to commit crimes are complicit in this despicable attack,” he said.
‘The irresponsible statements by club presidents, managers, coaches and television commentators against the referees have paved the way for this attack.’
Koca, who has been president of Ankaragucu since 2021, confirmed his resignation in a statement on the club’s website a few days later.
The 59-year-old admitted he felt “very embarrassed” by his actions and was resigning to “avoid further damage” to the club.
“I would like to announce to the public that I have resigned from the presidency of MKE Ankaragucu in order to prevent further harm to the Ankaragucu club, Ankaragucu fans, the community I belong to and my family,” Koca said.
‘I hope that this incident, which I more than anyone else cannot accept, will be a reason for our sporting life, especially our football community, to purify itself of errors, shortcomings and the culture of violence.
“At the same time, I hope that the structural problems of Turkish football will be discussed more realistically because of this serious incident that I caused.
Less than two days after the incident, Meler was released from Ankara hospital and spoke to reporters to say he was fine despite having several bruises.
‘I would like to take this opportunity to apologize again to everyone I have upset, especially the Ankaragucu fans.
‘I want to make it clear that it deeply saddens me that both the club I manage, the football community and our country are remembered with such an event and image.’
All leagues in Türkiye were suspended but resumed after a one-week break.
Meler has refereed in the Super Lig since 2015 and oversees international matches.
