{"id":2122658,"date":"2023-12-12T11:01:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T16:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/turkish-soccer-club-president-arrested-for-punching-referee\/"},"modified":"2023-12-12T11:03:21","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T16:03:21","slug":"turkish-soccer-club-president-arrested-for-punching-referee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/turkish-soccer-club-president-arrested-for-punching-referee\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkish club president arrested for assaulting referee"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fturkish-soccer-club-president-arrested-for-punching-referee%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2122658&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>December 12, 2023 \u2063\u2013 5:12 AM\u200b PST<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Referee Halil \u2064Umut Meler lies on the\u2064 ground at the end \u2062the Turkish Super Lig soccer match between MKE Ankaragucu\u200d and Caykur Rizespor REUTERS\/Abdurrahman Antakyali\/Depo Photo\/File Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>ANKARA (Reuters) \u2013 The \u200dpresident of top tier Turkish \u2062soccer club Ankaragucu, Faruk Koca, \u2064was arrested on Tuesday \u200cfor punching a referee in\u2064 the\u200c face \u2063at\u200b the end of a match, with the\u2063 official telling police\u2063 that Koca had threatened to kill him.<\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3\" style=\"min-width: 320px; min-height: 50px; text-align: center;\">  \t<script>  \t\tgoogletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3'); });  \t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>The arrest \u200bfollowed an outbreak of violence during Super Lig club Ankaragucu\u2019s home match against Rizespor \u200don Monday evening.<\/p>\n<p>Referee\u200b Halil\u2063 Umut Meler, who \u2063was also kicked while lying on the\u2062 pitch, said that Koca had also threatened him and his colleagues, state-owned Anadolu news agency\u200d reported.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFaruk Koca punched me under my left eye; I fell\u200b to the\u2064 ground. While I was on the ground, other people kicked me in the face and other parts of my body\u200b many times,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKoca\u200c said to me and my colleagues, \u2018I will finish you\u2019. Addressing me, he said, \u2018I will \u200ckill\u2064 you\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Turkish\u2062 court which\u200d made the \u2062arrest \u2063ruling\u200b also remanded in custody two other suspects over the incident.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis incident\u2062 developed due to the wrong decisions and\u2062 provocative\u200d behaviour of the referee. \u2063My aim was to react verbally to the referee and spit in his face,\u201d\u2062 Koca told \u200dthe court, according to Demiroren News Agency.<\/p>\n<p>The Turkish Football \u2064Federation (TFF) said\u200d it had suspended all \u2062leagues after the \u200b\u201cshameful\u201d incident in Ankara.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">INVESTIGATION \u2062CONTINUES<\/h2>\n<p>Justice Minister\u200c Yilmaz Tunc said Koca and two others\u200c were formally arrested for \u201cinjuring a public official\u201d after \u200cprosecutors took \u2062statements from \u200cthem.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe investigation is continuing meticulously,\u201d he said on social media platform X, adding judicial controls were imposed on \u2063three other suspects.<\/p>\n<p>Koca entered the field and hit Meler when the final whistle blew after\u2062 Rizespor scored a 97th minute \u2063equaliser in \u2063the 1-1 draw \u200bat Eryaman Stadium, footage showed.<\/p>\n<p>The referee was lying \u2063in a hospital bed with a swollen face and a\u200c neck brace, footage provided by the\u2063 ministry showed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe bleeding in Meler\u2019s left eye started to\u2062 decrease\u201d and there \u200bwill be no permanent damage, said Mehmet Yorubulut, chief doctor of Acibadem hospital.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe fracture there will gradually heal. There is no brain \u2062damage,\u201d he\u200c said, adding he\u2063 will\u200c likely be \u200ddischarged on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>The club\u2063 president Koca was\u2062 twice elected to Turkey\u2019s \u2062parliament as \u200dpart of \u2064President Tayyip\u200b Erdogan\u2019s ruling AK Party.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PITCH INVASION<\/h2>\n<p>After the match, footage showed Ankaragucu\u200b fans invaded the pitch and Meler was also kicked when\u200d he fell. He eventually made \u200dit to \u2064the dressing room with the help\u2063 of the\u2062 police.<\/p>\n<p>The federation said Ankaragucu, its chairman, club officials and all \u2064those guilty of attacking the referee will be \u201cpunished in the strongest terms possible\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Gianni Infantino, president of world \u200csoccer\u2019s governing body FIFA, said the events after the match \u2064were \u201ctotally unacceptable and have no place in our sport or society\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithout match officials there is no\u200d football,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>European \u200csoccer governing body UEFA also condemned the incident.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe urge the authorities and the responsible \u2064disciplinary\u200b bodies to take\u200d decisive and necessary action against anyone involved in acts of abuse and\u2062 violence\u2063 against referees,\u201d UEFA said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSuch unacceptable and distressing behaviour is detrimental\u200c to the efforts of national\u2062 associations to recruit\u200b referees, which are essential for the running of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A FIFA referee since 2017, 37-year-old Meler took charge of Lazio\u2019s Champions League group game with Celtic on Nov. 28.<\/p>\n<p>Referees\u2063 in Turkey are often\u200b criticised by club managers \u2064and \u2062presidents for their decisions but are\u2063 rarely the target of violent attacks.<\/p>\n<p>Ankaragucu are 11th in the\u2064 standings on 18\u200d points, three places below Rizespor on 22 points after 15 matches.\u200b It is unclear when Super\u2062 Lig matches will resume.<\/p>\n<p><sup>Editing by Peter Rutherford, Jonathan\u200c Spicer, Christian Radnedge and\u2063 Ken Ferris<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"rc-widget-10bad2\" data-rc-widget data-widget-host=\"habitat\" data-endpoint=\"\/\/trends.revcontent.com\" data-widget-id=\"278641\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"dpsp-share-text\" style=\"margin-bottom:10px\"> \t\t \t\tShare this \u2063post!\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>45th\u2064 President Donald Trump Shares\u200c Heartfelt Message \u2064To OAN Viewers<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Russia\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russian-opposition-leader-missing-ahead-of-prison-transfer\/\" title=\"Russian opposition leader missing before prison transfer\">foremost political opposition leader<\/a> goes missing within the\u200c country\u2019s\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/daily-feed-12-11-23\/\" title=\"Daily Feed 11\/12\/23\">prison system raising concerns<\/a> from allies for\u200b his well-being. \u200b <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Alex \u200bJones returns to X, Jack \u200dSmith makes a request to SCOTUS and \u2064Harvard\u2019s Claudine Gay comes under fire.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>With \u200dthe Iowa Caucus \u200ba little more \u200cthan one month\u2062 away, 45th President Donald Trump is positioned for\u200b a historic win\u2062 according\u200d to the holy grail of Iowa \u2062polling. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Microsoft and the \u2062AFL-CIO union federation said they had struck a deal whereby the software giant will remain neutral in efforts by\u200d unions to \u2063encourage\u2064 workers\u200d to\u2063 become members.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Amazon.com\u200d asked a federal court to dismiss a U.S. government antitrust lawsuit which accuses the company of using \u2064illegal\u200d strategies\u200c to boost profits\u2064 at its online retail empire.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>More than 10 million people have signed up for X in December, X CEO Linda\u2062 Yaccarino\u2063 said in a post\u2064 on the social media platform.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Alphabet shares ended 5.3% higher \u2064on Thursday as Wall \u2064Street cheered the launch of Gemini.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> rnrn  <\/p>\n<h2> How can the \u2062Turkish soccer community work together to create an environment where violence has no place?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Is indeed \u2064unfortunate to witness incidents of violence in sports, especially when it involves \u2062high-profile figures. \u2062The recent arrest of Faruk Koca, the president \u2063of Turkish \u200dsoccer club Ankaragucu, for punching a referee after a match \u200chas sent shockwaves through the sporting community.<\/p>\n<p>The incident took place during Ankaragucu&#8217;s\u200c home match against Rizespor on\u2064 Monday \u200bevening. Referee Halil Umut \u200bMeler, who was also kicked while lying on the pitch, reported that Koca had threatened\u2062 to kill him and his colleagues.\u2063 Meler stated, &#8220;Faruk Koca punched me under my left eye; I fell to the ground. While I\u200b was on the ground, other people\u2063 kicked me in the face and other parts of my body many times. Koca said to me\u200d and my colleagues, &#8216;I will finish\u2062 you.&#8217; Addressing me, he said, &#8216;I will kill\u2062 you.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>These actions are completely unacceptable \u2062and go against the spirit\u200d of fair play and sportsmanship. The Turkish court has rightly taken swift \u2063action by arresting Koca, along with two other suspects involved in the incident. The Turkish \u200bFootball Federation (TFF) has also suspended all leagues, recognizing the gravity of the situation.<\/p>\n<p>Investigations into the incident are ongoing, and justice must be served. It is essential to hold those responsible accountable for their actions and send a \u2062clear message\u200d that violence will not be tolerated in sports. The safety\u2063 and well-being of all participants, including referees, should be of utmost importance.<\/p>\n<p>These incidents not only tarnish the reputation of the\u200c sport but also \u2063have \u2064wider implications.\u200d They discourage referees from carrying out their duties\u2062 and hinder the recruitment of new officials. Without match officials, there can be no football. It is\u200b crucial for the authorities and disciplinary bodies to take decisive and necessary action against anyone \u2063involved in acts of abuse and violence against referees.<\/p>\n<p>Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, and UEFA, the governing body of European \u200bsoccer, have both condemned the incident. FIFA&#8217;s stance on the matter \u200cemphasizes the\u200d importance of respecting\u200c match officials and maintaining the integrity of the game.<\/p>\n<p>It is unfortunate that referees in \u2063Turkey often face criticism from club managers and presidents for their decisions. However,\u2064 resorting to violence is \u200bnever the solution. Constructive\u2064 dialogue, respect, and adherence to the rules and regulations \u200bof the sport are \u2063the principles that should guide all involved.<\/p>\n<p>It is now crucial for\u200d the Turkish soccer community to reflect on this incident\u2064 and take \u2064necessary \u200dsteps to\u2064 prevent such occurrences in the future. Stricter regulations, increased security measures, and improved education on sportsmanship and fair play should be implemented. Clubs, players, and officials\u200d should\u200b work together to create an environment where violence has no place.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the arrest of Faruk Koca and the subsequent suspension of all leagues in Turkey serve as a \u200cwake-up call \u2064for\u200c the\u2064 sporting community. It \u2063is\u200c essential\u200c to address the issue of violence in sports and take proactive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. \u200dThe incident highlights the need for\u2062 a stronger commitment to fair play and respect for all\u200d involved in \u200dthe game.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>December 12, 2023 &#8211; 5:12 AM PST: Referee Halil Umut Meler down after Turkish Super Lig match between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor. Ankaragucu president, Faruk Koca, arrested for assault<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1911,"featured_media":2122659,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[542],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2122658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oann"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2122658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1911"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2122658"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2122658\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2122659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2122658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2122658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2122658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}