ANKARAGUCU president Faruk Koca has received a LIFTIME ban from football for his vicious assault on referee Halil Umut Meler.
Pandemonium ensued on Monday night after the Turkish Super Lig side’s draw with Rizespor, which ended in a last-gasp 1-1 draw.
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An irate Koca erupted after the final whistle and stormed the pitch to confront the match official Meler, who he PUNCHED with a vicious sucker punch of a right hand.
Meler collapsed to the pitch in agony and was then kicked by a yet-to-be-identified assailant.
A warrant for the arrest of Koca was issued by Turkey’s Minister of Justice on Tuesday and was followed up by a lifetime ban from the Turkish Football Federation.
Koca resigned from his role as Ankaragucu chief on Tuesday in light of his heinous act, which he offered no excuses for.
He said: “I would like to announce to the public that I have resigned from the MKE Ankaragucu Presidency in order to prevent any further harm to the Ankaragucu club, Ankaragucu fans, the community I am in and my family.
“I hope that this incident, which I, more than anyone else, cannot accept, will be a reason for our sports life, especially our football community, to be purified from mistakes, shortcomings and the culture of violence.
“At the same time, I hope that the structural problems of Turkish football will be discussed more realistically due to this grave incident that I caused.
“I would like to take this opportunity to apologise again to everyone I have upset, especially Ankaragucu fans.
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“I would like it to be known that I am deeply saddened that both the club I manage, the football community, and our country are remembered with such an event and image.”
Koca initially denied punching Meler, who was left with a fractured cheek, insisting he merely slapped the official.
He said: “My aim was to react verbally to the referee and spit in his face.
“At this time, I slapped the referee in the face. The slap I gave did not cause a fracture.
“After the slap I gave, the referee stood for about 5-10 seconds, then threw himself on the ground.
“They immediately removed me from the scene because of my heart disease. Other than that, I am not aware of any incident that took place.”
Meler was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries and revealed the full extent of the sickening assault he suffered on his bed.
He said: “Faruk Koca punched me under my left eye and I fell to the ground.
“While I was on the ground, they kicked my face and other parts of my body many times.
“Faruk Koca told me and my fellow referees: ‘I will finish you’. Addressing me in particular, he said: ‘I will kill you.’”
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