Turkish referee Cüneyt Çakır handed Euro semifinal duty

WARSAW

Cüneyt Çakır. EPA photo

Cüneyt Çakır will officiate the Euro 2012 semifinal game between Spain and Portugal in a landmark occasion for Turkish football.

European football’s governing body, UEFA, made the announcement yesterday that the Turkish referee will handle the Spain vs. Portugal match tomorrow at Donetsk, Ukraine.

Frenchman Stephane Lannoy will be in charge of the other semifinal, Germany against Italy in Warsaw on June 28 it added.

Both will be refereeing their third matches at the tournament.

Çakır’s assignment is a high point for Turkish referees.

Çakır was the first Turkish referee to take part in the championship after Ahmet Çakar’s assignment at the Euro 1996 and his semifinal assignment will be the nation’s highest refereeing achievement in international football.

Çakır has previously officiated games in FIFA Under-20 World Cup, UEFA U-21 European Championship along with top club competitions, Champions League and Europa League.

His previous highlight was officiating the Champions League semifinal second-leg game between Barcelona and Chelsea last season.

The first and only Turkish referee to officiate a match in the World Cup, meanwhile, was Doğan Babacan, who has participated in the West Germany vs. Chile game in 1974.