2023-12-11 23:44:29
Türkiye will put football club president on trial AnkaragucuFaruk Koca, for punching the referee of the match against Rizespor, Halil Umut Melerthe country’s authorities have announced.
Koca, president of the Ankaragucucurrently in 11th place in the Turkish Super League, went down to the grass as soon as the match ended and punched the referee in the face, after ending the match at 1-1 with a goal from Rizespor in the 97th minute.
HALIL UMUT MELER WAS PUNCHED pic.twitter.com/I2BV6jwJOB
— GalaFHD1905erman (@fhd1905erman) December 11, 2023
In the 51st minute, the referee had sent off Ali Sowe, Ankaragücü forward, a decision highly protested by the fans.
A general confrontation ensued in the countryside, which ended with the intervention of the police and the transfer of Koca to the hospitalafter which his arrest will be carried out, reported the Turkish Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikayain a message on X, formerly Twitter.
Also the Minister of Justice, Yilmaz Tunçannounced on the same social network that legal proceedings will be initiated against all those involved in the attack, while the Minister of Sports condemned Koca’s attack on the referee.
Even the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, condemned the attack on network X, and wished Halil Umut Meler a speedy recovery. “Sport is peace and brotherhood. In Turkish sport we will never allow violence,” the president tweeted.
Rizespor is in eighth place in the Super Leaguewhile Ankaragücü is four points behind, in eleventh.
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