"I will kill you." New details emerge regarding the assault on the referee in Turkey

Football referee Halil Umut Meler, who was attacked by the president of Ankaragucu after a match in the Turkish championship, shared new details of the scandalous incident.

Following the final whistle of the Ankaragucu vs. Rizespor match, the host team's president, Faruk Koçа, physically assaulted the referee.

"Faruk Koç struck me with his fist under my left eye, and I fell to the ground. While I was on the ground, they kicked me several times in the face and other parts of my body. Koç was shouting at me, 'I will finish you. I will kill you.' I filed a complaint against Koç and others involved. I do not want to compromise. That's all I can say", - quoted the referee's statement from A Spor.

Earlier, Umut Meler even mentioned the possibility of ending his refereeing career after the incident.

Meanwhile, Faruk Koç denies all allegations against him. He stated that while he intended to spit on the referee's face, he did not plan to hit him.

"I understand the allegations against me. I have written explanations to the prosecutor's office and law enforcement authorities on this issue. I repeat everything verbatim. I categorically reject the allegations against me. This incident arose from incorrect decisions and provocative behavior by the referee. My intention was to verbally react to the referee's actions and spit on his face. But it turned into a punch... Admittedly, the slap I gave cannot cause a fracture. After that slap, the referee stood for five to ten seconds and then fell to the ground. Due to a heart condition, I was immediately taken away from the scene. I am not aware of any other events apart from this. That's all I can say", - quoted Koç's statement from TRT Haber.

It's worth noting that the Turkish Football Federation decided to suspend matches in all leagues of the country following this incident. Even the President of the country, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, took notice of the assault on the referee.

Following the incident, the president of Ankaragucu and three other individuals involved in the attack were arrested by the police.