Malaga referee becomes Turkish league's first foreign official

Malaga-born Mario Melero López made history last Saturday as he became the first foreign referee to officiate a match in Turkey's Super League, the country's top tier.

With nearly a decade of experience in Spain's La Liga, Melero López was appointed to oversee the VAR system in the match between Ankaragücü and Gaziantep.

This milestone follows the recent decision by the Turkish Football Federation to occasionally enlist referees from major European leagues in an effort to mitigate the surge in violence that has plagued their domestic competition.