Turkish football club chair who punched referee to ground released from prison pending trial

A Turkish court has released Super League club Ankaragücü Chair Faruk Koca from prison pending trial 15 days after he punched referee Halil Umut Meler to the ground after a match. After release, Koca said that he was not defending this attack and he “may be the last person to do this.”

Wednesday December 27 2023 11:58 pm

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A Turkish court on Dec. 27 released Super League club Ankaragücü Chair Faruk Koca from prison pending trial, 15 days after his attack against referee Halil Umut Meler after a match.

Koca was released upon his lawyer’s objection.

Ankaragücü fans welcomed Koca in Ankaragücü facilities after his release.

Ankaragücü taraftarları, tutuksuz yargılanmak üzere cezaevinden tahliye edilen eski başkan Faruk Koca'yı meşalelerle karşıladı. pic.twitter.com/ZU84bIB14C
— De Marke Sports (@demarkesports) December 27, 2023

“I am very ashamed and sorry for causing such an incident. It was something unexpected from me. First of all, I would like to apologize to Gaza children and the oppressed people of the world for occupying the agenda,” Koca said while making a press statement.

“I may be the last person to do this action, but we are human, we react to the wrongs and injustices because we are human. The form of reaction may be wrong, but being human, being a man means reacting to injustice, objecting to wrong. I also ask for forgiveness from you,” he added.

On Dec. 11 evening at the end of a Super League match after a 1-1 draw with visiting club Rizespor, Ankaragücü Chair Faruk Koca entered the pitch and punched referee Halil Umut Meler in the face. The official was then kicked by other people while lying on the pitch covering his head.

Koca was arrested the next day after the attack. He was handed a ban from football for life. He also resigned from the Ankaragücü chairmanship.