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Turkish football club Ankaragucu have defended their former president Faruk Koca after he was sentenced to jail for assaulting a referee.<\/b><\/p>\n
On Monday a court in the Turkish capital Ankara sentenced Koca, 60, to three years and seven months in prison for “intentionally wounding a public official”.<\/p>\n
Koca was also given a suspended sentence of under a year for making threats and violating laws related to violence in sport.<\/p>\n
Koca punched referee Halil Umut Meler<\/a> in the face following a 1-1 draw with Rizespor in December 2023, leaving the official with a fractured eye socket.<\/p>\n Meler fell to the floor and was subsequently kicked by three other individuals.<\/p>\n In a statement published after the sentencing, Ankaragucu chairman Ismail Mert Firat said it was “impossible to interpret the sentence with good intentions”.<\/p>\n He argued that “no disgraceful crime, external<\/span><\/a>” had been committed and accused the court of succumbing to biased public opinion.<\/p>\n Ankaragucu reaffirmed their support for Koca, citing his positive contributions to Turkish football during his three-year tenure as president and called him a “legend”.<\/p>\n The club argued that the sentence is disproportionate as Koca resigned from his post and publicly apologised following the assault.<\/p>\n The Turkish Football Federation suspended football in the country for a week following the incident and handed Koca a permanent ban.<\/a><\/p>\n Ankaragucu were fined two million lira (\u00a354,000) and ordered to play five home games without any fans.<\/p>\n Three other defendants involved in the attack received suspended sentences ranging from 15 months to five years. <\/p>\n All four are expected to appeal against the court’s ruling, while Koca will not be sent to jail until the higher court rules on any appeal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n