Former club president Faruk Koca handed permanent ban by Turkish Football Federation for punching referee
Former president of Turkish top flight club Ankaragucu Faruk Koca has been handed a permanent ban by the Turkish Football Federation for punching a referee.
Koca resigned from his role following the sickening attack on referee Halil Umut Meler.
Meler was approached and hit in the face by Koca following Monday night's Super Lig match between Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor.
The referee had sent off one player for each team with the scores level at 1-1 in stoppage time, before Koca ran onto the pitch after the whistle.
With Meler also kicked in the head by an unidentified individual and taken to hospital, all matches in Turkey have been suspended indefinitely.
Meler left hospital on Wednesday after being treated for injuries, including a small fracture under his eye
Koca was subsequently arrested and the TFF, in announcing a host of disciplinary measures on its official website on Thursday night, said the 59-year-old has been banned in response to the incident.
Ankaragucu have also been fined £54,000 and ordered them to play five games behind closed doors among a number of sanctions following the incident.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the attack on Thursday, telling Sky Sports News: «Enough is enough and this has to stop. I was shocked when I saw the images like everyone else.
»You can be excited at a match and you can feel for a team but there is no way we can accept anything like that to happen."
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