December 15, (THEWILL) – The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has handed a life ban to Ankaragücü club president, Faruk Koca, for punching referee Halil Umut Meler, after a match on Monday. Ankaragücü must also play five home games without fans and pay a £69,000 fine for the violent scenes.
The incident occurred after Rizespor scored an injury-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Ankaragücü. The video shows Koca entering the pitch and punching Meler in the face before the referee is kicked while lying on the ground. Meler was hospitalised but luckily suffered no major injuries.
The TFF immediately suspended all matches in response. Play will resume next Tuesday after a one-week suspension. Along with Koca’s life ban, various other Ankaragücü officials received punishments like suspensions, cautions and fines.
Koca was arrested the day after the attack but has since been released. The referee Meler was also discharged from an Ankara hospital on Wednesday, although with visibly swollen and bruised facial injuries.
The Super Lig match descended into violence after Rizespor’s 97th-minute leveller denied Ankaragücü all three points at home. Still, the TFF has sent a strong message that such actions will not be tolerated with severe repercussions now imposed on the Ankara-based club.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
