A former Turkish Süper Lig soccer government was sentenced to over three years in jail Monday for an on-field assault towards a referee, in keeping with Anadolu Agency (AA).
The incident occurred in December 2023 following a 1-1 draw between Ankara’s MKA Ankaragücü and visiting Rizespor in Türkiye’s prime flight.
Footage from the scene confirmed Ankaragücü’s then president Faruk Koca speeding onto the pitch and punching referee Halil Umut Meler after he blew the ultimate whistle, shouting: “I’m going to kill you!”
He seemed to be incensed over the ref’s determination to ship off certainly one of his gamers, and disallowing an earlier aim by Ankaragücü. Rizespor had scored an equalizer in harm time.
Denouncing the assault as “despicable,” the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended Süper Lig matches for eight days and initiated felony proceedings towards Koca and several other others.
Several days later, Koca apologized and resigned as membership president however insisted his staff had been cheated by the referee.
The courtroom Monday handed him three years and 7 months for “intentional injury to a public sports official” in addition to six months and 20 days for “making threats.”
It additionally handed him a five-month suspended sentence for “violating the law on violence prevention in sports.”
During the incident, the referee – who fell to the bottom after being punched – was additionally kicked a number of instances by different membership officers, leaving him with a head trauma.
The courtroom additionally handed jail sentences to a few different officers for inflicting or attempting to trigger, “intentional injury” to a public sports activities official, with sentences starting from one to 5 years behind bars.
The incident provoked uproar in Türkiye and a flurry of condemnation, together with from FIFA, soccer’s world governing physique.
Source: www.dailysabah.com