Former referee Pierluigi Collina has clear words after the violent incident in Turkey. He speaks of the “cancer” that can kill soccer – even in the lower leagues.
Former star referee Pierluigi Collina has condemned the attack on Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler in the strongest possible terms and spoken of “terrible images”.
In a message on X, formerly Twitter, the now 63-year-old Italian commented on Wednesday in his role as Chairman of the Referees Committee of the FIFA World Football Association.
Meler is a very good referee and a very good man, wrote Collina. He had spent time with Meler at the U20 World Cup in Argentina, explained Collina. However, the Italian, who became a star himself during his active career, also drew attention in his message to the many similar cases in lower leagues that never reached the public eye.
What is more horrific than the images of Meler is knowing that there are thousands of referees around the world who are verbally and physically abused but who go unreported, wrote Collina. He had already said at a meeting in London last month that verbal and physical abuse was a “cancer” that could cost soccer its life.
A referee can’t be beaten for making a decision, even if it was wrong. His or her car can’t be set on fire because of a penalty.
Pierluigi Collina
After the match between MKE Ankaragücü and Çaykur Rizespor, there were wild scenes in Turkey on Monday evening. Rizespor had scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time to make it 1-1. Ankaragücü’s president Faruk Koca, who has since resigned, punched the referee in the face with his fist after the final whistle, as can be seen on video. Meler then went to the ground and others involved kicked him. Meler was able to leave the hospital again on Wednesday.
“A referee cannot be beaten for making a decision, even if it was wrong. His or her car cannot be set on fire because of a penalty,” Collina wrote. And he added that it was no exaggeration, burning cars had already happened in some countries, and not so rarely. “It is the responsibility of all those who love this ‘beautiful game’ to take action. Before it’s too late. Before this cancer kills soccer,” wrote Collina.