Former world-class referee Pierluigi Collina sharply criticized the violent attack on Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler and warned of the consequences of the physical attack.
The images were “appalling,” but “what is even more appalling is knowing that there are thousands of referees around the world who are being verbally and physically abused at the lower levels of football,” Collina said 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 referee committee at the world association FIFA.
“A referee cannot be beaten for a decision he has made, even if it is wrong. His or her car cannot be set on fire or bombed because of a penalty,” the Italian explained: “Unfortunately that is not an exaggeration , because car bombs and cars set on fire are not that rare in some countries.”
Referee icon Collina: “That will kill football”
Collina recently described violence against referees as a “cancer” that has infected the game and “will kill football.”
Now the Italian renewed his warning: “It is the responsibility of all those who love the beautiful game to take action and do something. Before it is too late, before this cancer kills football.”
Meler was massively attacked on Monday after the game between Ankaragücü and Rizespor in the Turkish first league.
Faruk Koca, who has since resigned as president of Ankaragücü, hit Meler in the face with his fist so badly that he received a black eye. Other people also kicked the referee who had fallen to the ground. The Turkish Football Association TFF suspended Süper Lig games indefinitely.