Turkish Football Club President Sentenced to 3 Years and 7 Months in Prison for Hitting Referee

Turkish Football Club President Sentenced to 3 Years and 7 Months in Prison for Hitting Referee

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The former president of the Turkish professional football team Ankara Gucu, who shocked the world by assaulting a referee at a stadium last year, will be sent to prison.

The Associated Press reported on the 12th (local time), citing local media, that a Turkish court sentenced former Ankara Gucu Chairman Faruk Koca to three years and seven months in prison for assault.

Former chairman Koca is accused of punching referee Halil Umut Meler in the face and knocking him down after a 1-1 draw against Rizespor in a Super Lig match on December 11 last year while he was chairman.

Referee Meler, who was kicked by a spectator who invaded the field, was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed with a fractured orbital bone around his left eye and had to wear a cast on his neck.

The incident, which outraged football fans around the world, led to the Turkish league being suspended for several weeks.

The court also found Coca guilty of threatening a referee and violating the Sports Violence Prevention Act, but suspended his sentence.

The three spectators who attacked the referee were each sentenced to suspended sentences of one to five years.

Former president Coca resigned immediately after the incident and posted an apology on the club's website, saying, "There is nothing that can justify or explain the violence I committed."

However, during his trial, he claimed innocence, saying, "I committed the crime due to unjust provocation."

Former Chairman Koca, who was imprisoned after the incident and 스포츠토토사이트 then released on bail, is said to be planning to appeal the ruling.

Ankaragucu was fined 2 million Turkish lira (about 82 million won) and banned from playing five home games behind closed doors for the incident.

Ankara Gucu, the club that had banned former president Koca from entering the stadium for life at the time of the incident, issued a statement after the ruling and attempted to 'cover up' the situation.

The club argued that "former president Koca did not commit any externally dishonorable crimes" and that the court gave in to biased public opinion and handed down an excessive sentence.

Former President Koca also praised him as a 'legend' for his contributions to Turkish football during his three-year tenure.