Former president of Turkish Süper Lig club of AnkaragücüFaruk Koca was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison for hitting a referee at the end of 2023, the state-run Anadolu agency reported on Monday. Faruk Koca was sentenced to three years, seven months and 22 days in prison for “intentional injury“following a meeting with Rizespor on December 11.

He was also sentenced to six months and twenty days, and a five-month suspended prison sentence, respectively for “threatening” and “non-compliance with the law on the prevention of violence in sport“. Mr. Koca had rushed at referee Halil Umut Meler at the final whistle, punching him violently in the face and shouting “I’m going to kill you! With the two clubs tied on points, the referee had just disallowed a goal for Ankara.

Two other people had also beaten up the referee, causing head trauma. Mr. Koca, a former member of parliament, was remanded in custody before being released and resigned from Ankaragücü. The attack caused a furore in Turkey and a shower of condemnations, including one from the head of Fifa. The Turkish Football Federation then decided to postpone all league matches, which failed to resume eight days later.