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A former Turkish football club president has been sentenced to over three years in prison for punching a referee after a football match last season.
A Turkish court sentenced the former top executive to almost three and a half years in prison on Monday for assaulting the referee on the field following the conclusion of a top-flight league match the previous season.
After Rizespor scored a last-minute equalizer on December 11, 2023, fans stormed the field, kicking Meler as he lay to the ground.
The Turkish Football Federation suspended all league games for a few weeks as a result of the incident, which sparked outrage around the world.
According to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Koca was found guilty of “intentionally wounding a public official” by the Ankara court and given a three-year, seven-month prison sentence.
The court deferred Koca’s sentencing but found him guilty of threatening the referee and breaking regulations meant to deter violence in sports.
Other perpetrators also found guilty
According to the agency, three further defendants who were also on trial for assaulting the referee received prison sentences ranging from one to five years.
It is anticipated that Koca, who quit as club president shortly after the incident, would appeal the decision. Last year, he was briefly detained before being freed on bail.
The defendants’ attorneys had earlier asked for their acquittal, arguing that the offense was done under “unjust provocation,” according to Anadolu.
In addition to having to play five home games without supporters, Ankaragucu was fined 2 million Turkish Lira ($59,000).
The referee was admitted to the hospital for a short while due to a minor fracture close to his eye.
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