Former Turkish club president jailed for assaulting referee

Conflicts between players, club officials, and referees are common in football, often ending in disciplinary actions. But for Faruk Koca, the former president of Turkish club Ankaragücü, the consequences were far more severe.

Details: A Turkish court sentenced Koca to three and a half years in prison for punching referee Halil Meler in the face after a 1-1 match against Rizespor in December 2023. According to The Guardian, citing the Turkish news agency Anadolu, the court classified the incident as "intentional bodily harm against a public official."

Koca was also found guilty of threatening referees and violating laws aimed at preventing violence in sports, although the enforcement of the sentence has been postponed.

Reminder: Following the assault, Koca resigned as Ankaragücü president, and the Turkish league was suspended for several weeks.