Turkish fan gets kung-fu kicked in the head for attempting to injure referee

By Thomas Hautmann, Thomas Hautmann

Published May 02, 2016

Another weekend, another ugly incident in Turkish football.

One week after a fan's brutal attack on a goal-line official led to the abandonment of Trabzonspor's Super Lig match against Fenerbahce, Turkey's second division produced the latest shocking images involving fan violence.

In the second half of Saturday's game between Karabukspor and Elazigspor, the match was interrupted after several supporters invaded the pitch. Amidst the chaos, one of the home fans attempted to throw an object at the match official -- it appears to be a wooden spoon -- but missed his target.

Running to the referee's defense, one Elazigspor player responded most violently, charging at the fan with a vicious kung-fu kick straight to the head.

The fan was left nursing his wounds on the ground as a team staffer rushed the player straight into the dressing room.

Turkey has been dealing with what seems like an increasing problem with violence on and around the soccer pitch.

Back in 2010, Mersin Idmanyurdu coach Yuksel Yesilova was stabbed six times on the pitch by a fan but survived. Last April, Fenerbahce's team bus was shot at after an away win at Rizespor, wounding the bus driver. The attack led to the Turkish Football Federation suspending play in the top flight for one week.