Turkish referee left red-faced after blowing for offside from a throw-in
Referee Ayberk Demirbas caused confusion after incorrectly penalizing an offside directly from a throw-in during Bursaspor's 4-0 win.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Sakhalinio
A bizarre moment occurred during a second-tier Turkish fixture at Matli Stadium on Thursday night. Referee Ayberk Demirbas blew his whistle to call an offside offence immediately following a throw-in by Istanbulspor, leaving players from both sides stunned.
Under IFAB regulations, it is impossible for a player to be in an offside position directly from a throw-in. After players confronted the official to clarify the rule, Demirbas recognized his mistake and restarted the match with a dropped ball.
The blunder drew harsh criticism online, with former Turkish referee Deniz Ates Bitnel posting a scathing critique of the officiating standards on Instagram. He noted that the quality of refereeing in the country continues to decline.
The officiating error did not prevent Bursaspor from securing a dominant 4-0 victory. Former Manchester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho starred for the home side with a brace, helping the club extend their unbeaten home streak to over 11 months. The win keeps Mustafa Er's side firmly in the hunt for automatic promotion, while Istanbulspor remains in the relegation zone with only two points.