Turkish football club Ankaragucu defended its former president Faruk Koca after he was sentenced to prison for assaulting a referee.
On Monday, a court in Ankara, the Turkish capital, sentenced Koca, 60, to three years and seven months in prison for “intentionally injuring a public official.”
Koca also received a suspended sentence of less than a year for threatening and violating laws related to violence in sport.
Koca hit referee Halil Umut Meler in the face after a 1-1 draw with Rizespor in December 2023, leaving the referee with a fractured eye socket.
Meler fell to the ground and was subsequently kicked by three other individuals.
In a statement released after the ruling, Ankaragucu President Ismail Mert Firat said it was “impossible to interpret the ruling with good intentions.”
He maintained that “no shameful crime, external” had been committed and accused the court of succumbing to biased public opinion.
Ankaragucu reaffirmed its support for Koca, citing his positive contributions to Turkish football during his three years as president and calling him a “legend.”
The club argued that the sentence is disproportionate since Koca resigned from his position and publicly apologized after the attack.
The Turkish Football Federation suspended football in the country for a week following the incident and permanently banned Koca.
Ankaragucu was fined two million lira (£54,000) and ordered to play five home games without fans.
Three other defendants involved in the attack received suspended sentences ranging from 15 months to five years.
The four are expected to appeal against the court’s ruling, while Koca will not be sent to prison until the high court rules on any appeal.
