Rio 2016: Turkish referee to officiate football match

ISTANBUL (AA) – A Turkish referee will for the first time in 44 years officiate a football match in an Olympic game during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, according to a statement from the Turkish Football Federation

FIFA-licensed referee Cuneyt Cakir will be one of the referees in the group D match between Algeria and Argentina on Sunday at 6 p.m. local time (2100GMT), Cakir's assisting referees in the match will be Bahattin Duran, Tarik Ongun and Clement Turpin from the French Football Federation.

The last time a Turkish referee officiated a football match in the Olympics was Dogan Babacan in the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Another notable mention is Sulhi Garan, a Turkish referee who was given an assignment in the 1960 Rome Olympics.

The opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics will be held Friday. The games will run until August 25.