Turkish first division club Ankaragücü was fined five games behind closed doors at home on Thursday and fined around 60,000 euros after its president attacked a referee on Monday after a Süper Lig match. . Faruk Koca, the president of Ankaragücü who announced his resignation on Tuesday, was also banned for life from football by the disciplinary council of the Turkish Federation (TFF).
The leader, whose act caused great emotion in Turkey and was condemned by the head of FIFA, has been in pre-trial detention since Tuesday. All championship matches have also been suspended until December 19, announced the Turkish Football Federation.
Referee’s complaint
Faruk Koca rushed on Monday evening at the referee of a match which had just pitted his players against those of Rizespor, delivering a powerful punch to his face. Rizespor had just equalized (1-1) shortly before the final whistle against Ankaragücü, who had been denied a goal earlier in the match.
Having fallen to the ground, the referee rolled into a ball to protect himself but was subsequently kicked several times in the face by two other men. These two individuals were also placed in pre-trial detention. Halil Umut Meler, released Wednesday from Ankara hospital where he had been transported for head trauma, announced that he was filing a complaint against Faruk Koca.