Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca resigned after punching referee Halil Umut Meler following his side's 1-1 draw with Rizespor in Turkish Super Lig on Monday night; TFF board also ruled that Ankaragucu would pay fine and play five matches without fans
Thursday 14 December 2023 21:04, UK
Faruk Koca has been handed a permanent ban by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) after being arrested for punching a referee at the end of a Super Lig match on Monday night.
The TFF board also ruled that Ankaragucu, a club in the top-tier Super Lig in Turkey, would pay a two million lira ($54,000) fine and would play five home games without fans as a result of the unrest involving fans and club officials.
Matches in all Turkish football leagues were suspended indefinitely by the country's football association after Koca ran onto the pitch and struck official Halil Umut Meler following their top-flight game against Rizespor.
On Tuesday, a Turkish court ordered the arrest of Koca and also remanded in custody two other suspects over the violence, the justice minister Yilmaz Tunc revealed.
Tunc said Koca and two others were formally arrested for "injuring a public official" after prosecutors took statements from them.
Speaking to Sky Sports News on Thursday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: "Enough is enough and this has to stop. I was shocked when I saw the images like everyone else.
"You can be excited at a match and you can feel for a team but there is no way we can accept anything like that to happen. Sadly as Pierluigi Collina also said attacks on referee, verbal and physical, happen in amateur football and professional football.
"This has to stop. We have to start showing real respect back on the pitch, starting with the players, coaches and officials respecting the referees, who are doing a difficult job.
"Without referees there is no football. We need to respect them and we need to show it to them now."
Ankaragucu fans invaded the pitch after the game and Meler was also kicked when he fell, though it was unclear who his assailants were. Meler eventually made it to the dressing room with the help of the police.
A FIFA referee since 2017, 37-year-old Meler took charge of Lazio's Champions League group game with Celtic on November 28.
Referees in Turkey are often criticised by club managers and presidents for their decisions but are rarely the target of violent attacks.
Ankaragucu are 11th in the Super Lig on 18 points, three places below Rizespor who have 22 points from 15 matches.
