Faruk Koca, the former president of Turkish football club MKE Ankaragucu, has been sentenced to over three-and-a-half years in prison for attacking referee Halil Umut Meler after a match in December 2023. The incident occurred following a 1-1 draw between Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor.
Koca became enraged when Rizespor scored a last-minute equalizer in the seventh minute of injury time, which led to his team’s frustration. As the final whistle blew, Koca approached Meler and punched him in the face, causing a small fracture near the referee’s eye. The brutal attack was not only a physical assault but also an act of violence that shocked the Turkish football community. The referee was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment. As a result of the attack, Turkish football was suspended for several weeks to address the serious nature of the incident.
Koca was later convicted of “intentionally wounding a public official,” as well as threatening the referee and violating sports violence laws. Although sentenced to more than three years in prison, his sentence has been suspended, meaning he will not serve immediate time behind bars.
Ankaragücü performance and stats
Ankaragücü is currently 6th in the 1. Lig with 19 points.
In the last 12 games, it has won 6 times, drew once, and lost 5 times. In its last match, Ankaragücü won 3-0 against Erokspor.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 18 goals and conceding 12.
Ankaragücü will play the next match in 1. Lig against Gençlerbirliği on Saturday 23rd of November in Ankara.
