The President of the Council of Arbitration (CA) of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) on Wednesday expressed his solidarity with his Turkish counterpart, following the attack on Halil Umut Miller, and the acceptance of Turkish referees in Portuguese competitions to mitigate the ban.
“Taking into consideration that Turkish League matches have been suspended until further notice, I would like to inform you that the Turkish Football Federation, with the aim of supporting Turkish referees and ensuring they maintain their competitive rhythm, is available to appoint Turkish international referees to officiate in our top division league,” it said. This is in the letter sent by José Fontelas Gomez to his Turkish counterparts, which Losa was able to access.
On Monday, Turkish international referee Halil Umut Miller was attacked by the president of Ankara Gocu Club and people associated with this club, in which the Portuguese Pedriño plays, while the Turkish Football Association suspended the main league in the country and the remaining tournaments “indefinitely.”
In the same letter, Fontelas Gomez considered that this act of violence must be “condemned and disavowed”, acknowledging that it “causes undeniable harm not only to football but also to refereeing”, acknowledging that this opportunity could “help them ensure that they do so”. “They will not be adversely affected by this unfortunate event.”
“Together, we can work to promote and protect refereeing, and foster a safe and fair environment for all participants in sport,” the Portuguese leader stressed, recognizing that this must be a common concern: “We must all be concerned when it comes to the integrity and soundness of refereeing.” “Referees, who play a vital role in fair competition, adhere to this method.”
The Turkish Federation’s decision came shortly after, and after the draw with Rizspor (1-1), the president of Ankaragucu, Faruk Koca, stormed the field and punched referee Umut Miller, who fell and the members continued kicking in his face and head. Associated with the same club
With the referee lying on the ground, several people, including players, assistant referees and coaches, quickly set up a security circle to try to prevent further attacks.
Umut Miller (37 years old) was taken to the hospital to receive medical assistance and spent the night in the unit due to possible internal injuries, whether to the brain or the abdominal area.
This year, Umut Miller played for Benfica and Sporting de Braga in the Champions League and also for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Portugal, in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying stage.
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