Soccer-Turkish matches to resume Dec 19 after on-field punch

Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler, accompanied by head doctor Mehmet Yorubulut, greets media members as he leaves from a hospital in Ankara, Turkey December 13, 2023. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's soccer federation chairman said on Wednesday that matches in all top-tier leagues will resume on Tuesday of next week, following a one-week suspension due to an on-field attack on a referee by a club president.

The president of Ankaragucu, Faruk Koca, entered the pitch and punched the referee in the face at the end of a Monday match. The referee, Halil Umut Meler, was released from hospital on Wednesday with a swollen eye but no other health issues.