Ex-club president sent to prison for attacking referee during top flight game
Ankaragucu’s former club president has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for attacking a referee after a game. Faruk Koca had entered the pitch and confronted referee Halil Umut Meler and struck him with a right hook to the face last year. Koca attacked Meler last yearGetty He was later arrested and given a permanent football ban for the incident that occurred in the Super Lig game against Caykur Rizespor. Koca then resigned from his position at the Turkish Super Lig club in December. Now, a court in Ankara has convicted the former club chief of ‘intentionally wounding a public official’, according to the Anadolu Agency. He will spend three years and seven months in prison. The court also convicted Koca of threatening the referee and of violating laws aimed at preventing violence in sports, but these sentences were suspended. Koca is expected to appeal. Three other people were on trial for attacking the referee. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to five years, according to the report. Meler hit the deck and a brawl was sparkedGetty Previously, the TFF board also ruled that Ankaragucu would pay a two million lira (£54,000) fine. After Koca’s attack on Meler, league matches in Turkey were suspended for several weeks. Ankaragucu also had to play five home games without fans as a result of the unrest involving fans and club officials. Referee Meller had to go to hospital needing treatment for a small fracture near his eye. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was quoted in Turkish media condemning the attack. “I condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragucu-Caykur Rizespor match played this evening, and I wish him a speedy recovery,” he said. “Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sports are incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.”
Ankaragucu’s former club president has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for attacking a referee after a game.
Faruk Koca had entered the pitch and confronted referee Halil Umut Meler and struck him with a right hook to the face last year.
He was later arrested and given a permanent football ban for the incident that occurred in the Super Lig game against Caykur Rizespor.
Koca then resigned from his position at the Turkish Super Lig club in December.
Now, a court in Ankara has convicted the former club chief of ‘intentionally wounding a public official’, according to the Anadolu Agency.
He will spend three years and seven months in prison.
The court also convicted Koca of threatening the referee and of violating laws aimed at preventing violence in sports, but these sentences were suspended.
Koca is expected to appeal.
Three other people were on trial for attacking the referee.
They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to five years, according to the report.
Previously, the TFF board also ruled that Ankaragucu would pay a two million lira (£54,000) fine.
After Koca’s attack on Meler, league matches in Turkey were suspended for several weeks.
Ankaragucu also had to play five home games without fans as a result of the unrest involving fans and club officials.
Referee Meller had to go to hospital needing treatment for a small fracture near his eye.
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was quoted in Turkish media condemning the attack.
“I condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragucu-Caykur Rizespor match played this evening, and I wish him a speedy recovery,” he said.
“Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sports are incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.”
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