By EFE
Dec 28, 2023, 2:28 PM EST
An Ankara court authorized this Wednesday freedom with charges for Faruk Kocathe former president of the Ankaragücü club, in preventive detention since He punched referee Halil Umut Meler in the face in a match against Rizespor, last December 11.
Koca is accused of “injuring an official in the exercise of his or her work” and violating the law against violence in sport, and his attack has sparked a national debate in Turkey about the lack of respect accorded to referees.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended matches in all leagues for a week, fined the club €62,000 euros and five home games without fans in the stands.
😡 Unusual, shameful and regrettable
👊 The president of Ankaragucu jumps onto the field at the end of the match and knocks out the referee with a punch
💥 The referee was later kicked to the ground
⏱️ Rizespor tied in the 97th minute pic.twitter.com/u062fAyJ0V
— MARCA (@marca) December 11, 2023
Against Koca, who resigned from his position the day after his attack, he has issued a lifetime ban on football-related activities.
In addition, the TFF has promised to show a strong attitude to end what many consider a culture of impunity in the sport.
Along these lines, the Federation has also imposed a fine of €24,000 euros and a 90-day ban on Ecmel Faik Sarialoglupresident of the Istanbulspor club, who on December 19 ordered his players to leave the field in the 73rd minute of the match against Trabzonspor, for considering a referee’s decision unfair.
The score was 1-2 in favor of Trabzonspor, but the TFF has set the final result as 0-3, and has also taken three points away from Istanbulsporbottom of the Turkish Super League for weeks.
Halil Umut Meler, the referee attacked by Koca, He is one of the 11 referees with the right to referee FIFA matches.
Koca and three other defendants accused of attacking Meler are expected to appear before the judge on January 9, reports the Turkish network NTV.
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