Faruk Koca, the former chairman of the Turkish football club Ankaragücü, has been sentenced by the court to three years and seven months in prison for assaulting referee Halil Umut Meler. The verdict follows an incident that took place in December of last year, after a match between Ankaragücü and Rizespor. Koca lost control of his temper over Meler’s decisions during the match, where Meler issued two red cards to Ankaragücü players.

Following the final whistle, Koca confronted the referee and punched him squarely in the face while threatening him, saying: “I will kill you.” According to witnesses at the scene, Meler fell to the ground and was subsequently kicked several more times by Koca. The attack left the referee shocked and injured, sparking outrage across the Turkish football world and among the public.

The Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported that the court determined Koca had “intentionally inflicted bodily harm” on the referee. The severity of the incident prompted the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to take drastic measures. In response to the violence, the TFF temporarily suspended the league and imposed a lifetime ban on Koca, preventing him from ever holding a position in Turkish football again. Shortly after his suspension, Koca resigned as Ankaragücü chairman and expressed deep shame over his misconduct. He acknowledged that his actions were unacceptable and issued an apology to the fans, players, and the referee.

In addition to the three years and seven months prison sentence for bodily harm, Koca was also given an additional six-month prison term for making threats and a suspended five-month sentence for violating Turkey’s law on preventing violence in sports. These supplementary penalties underscore the seriousness with which Turkish authorities are addressing the issue of violence in sports.

The incident has sparked a broader discussion in Turkey about violence and respect in the sports world, with the Turkish Football Federation calling for stricter measures and a cultural change within football to prevent similar incidents in the future.