AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: All India Football Federation President Mr. Kalyan Chaubey, on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, deplored the attack on a match official during the Turkish Super Lig game, earlier this week, and said that such acts should be dealt with most strictly.

Mr. Chaubey said, “The AIFF condemns the recent attack on match official Halil Umut Meler in recent days after a Turkish Super Lig game. This despicable assault cannot be tolerated at any level of football, irrespective of any perceived performance standards.”

The AIFF President, while commenting on the possible influence of such incidents in the footballing world, as well as in India, said, “As we try to grow the beautiful game in India and encourage the youth to enter the profession of refereeing, such incidents must be prevented at all costs. These incidents not only destroy the reputation of the game but also highlight the general disrespect towards those who serve it.

“I would like to request everyone involved in our game to respect and safeguard match officials on all occasions.”