Kol’s assignment to the Kasımpaşa-Kocaelispor game is the latest in a series of high-profile appointments for the official. In the 29th week of the season, Kol was named to referee the Beşiktaş-Galatasaray derby at the Tüpraş Stadium. That appointment was made after the TFF’s original choice, FIFA-licensed referee Halil Umut Meler, was injured during an Ireland-Bulgaria Nations League match. Beşiktaş had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the domestic appointment, having requested a foreign official for the fixture.
Controversy surrounding Kol’s officiating intensified during a subsequent Fenerbahçe-Beşiktaş match, which ended with a Fenerbahçe victory via a penalty goal in the 90th plus-eleven minute. The penalty decision, awarded after an intervention on Fenerbahçe player Nene, became the focal point of post-match disputes. While the initial contact occurred outside the penalty area, the TFF’s internal assessment, as communicated to media outlets, determined that the foul continued inside the box, rendering the penalty decision correct under International Football Association Board (IFAB) rules.
The federation’s stance was reportedly consistent among its referee trainers, who shared the view that the on-field call was accurate. Consequently, TFF sources indicated that Kol would receive a favorable performance rating for the match. This internal evaluation stands in contrast to the reaction from Beşiktaş President Serdal Adalı, who publicly criticized the refereeing management and called for the resignation of the Central Referee Committee following the result.
The current 32nd-week schedule includes several other significant matches with designated officials. On Friday, April 30, Ömer Faruk Turtay will referee Çaykur Rizespor against Konyaspor, while Abdullah Buğra Taşkınsoy is assigned to Gaziantep FK’s match against Beşiktaş. The weekend program features Oğuzhan Aksu officiating Fenerbahçe against RAMS Başakşehir on Saturday, May 2, and Reşat Onur Coşkunses managing the Samsunspor-Galatasaray fixture the same evening.
Other Saturday assignments include Ozan Ergün for Trabzonspor-Göztepe. On Sunday, May 3, the remaining top-flight matches will be overseen by Mehmet Türkmen (Kayserispor-Eyüpspor), Atilla Karaoğlan (Antalyaspor-Corendon Alanyaspor), Oğuzhan Çakır (Fatih Karagümrük-Gençlerbirliği), and Yasin Kol for the Kasımpaşa-Kocaelispor clash. The TFF publishes these assignments on its official website to ensure transparency in the allocation of match officials for the league’s final stretch.
The focus on Kol’s appointments reflects the broader scrutiny placed on refereeing decisions in the Süper Lig, where penalty calls and red card interventions in derbies frequently lead to public debate and institutional review. The federation’s confirmation that the penalty in the Fenerbahçe-Beşiktaş match adhered to IFAB guidelines serves as a procedural justification for continuing Kol’s assignment to high-stakes domestic fixtures.
