FORMER TURKISH CLUB CHIEF IMPRISONED FOR PUNCHING REFEREE

Faruk Koca punched Halil Umut Meler in the face last December. Emin Sansar/Anadolu via Getty Images

A Turkish court sentenced a former top-flight football club executive to more than three and a half years in prison on Monday for attacking a referee on the pitch at the end of a league game last season.

Former Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca punched referee Halil Umut Meler in the face after the final whistle of a 1-1 draw in a Super Lig game against Caykur Rizespor last year.

Meler, who fell to the ground, was also kicked in a melee that occurred when fans also invaded the field after Rizespor scored a last-minute equaliser on Dec. 11, 2023.

The incident had caused global outrage and prompted the Turkish Football Federation to suspend all league games for several weeks.

The court in Ankara convicted Koca of "intentionally wounding a public official" and sentenced him to three years and seven months in prison, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The court also convicted Koca of threatening the referee and of violating laws aimed at preventing violence in sports but suspended the sentences.

Three other people who were also on trial for attacking the referee, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to five years, the agency reported.

Koca, who resigned as club president soon after the incident, is expected to appeal the verdict. He was briefly jailed last year before being released on bail.

Earlier, lawyers representing the defendants requested their acquittal, claiming that they had committed the crime under "unjust provocation," Anadolu reported.

Ankaragucu was fined 2 million Turkish Lira ($59,000) and forced to play five home games without fans.

The referee was briefly hospitalised with a small fracture near his eye.

- Associated Press 

TURKISH CLUB FENERBHCE ANNOUNCE JOSÉ MOURINHO AS MANAGER

Mourinho was at Wembley on Saturday for the Champions League final. Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images

 Former Real Madrid boss José Mourinho will be unveiled as the new coach of Turkish Super Lig team Fenerbahce later on Sunday, the club said.

Following days of strong indications that Mourinho was to take charge, the Istanbul club said in a post on X early on Sunday that the Portuguese manager was to attend a ceremony at their Sukru Saracoglu ground.

"Saracoglu is waiting for its new coach Jose Mourinho and its great fans at 19.00!," the post reads.

On Saturday night, Fenerbahce posted a video message from Mourinho, 61, in which he told Fenerbahce fans he would "see you tomorrow in Kadikoy and let's start our journey together."

It's Mourinho's first job since he left Roma in January after two and a half years marked by winning the Europa Conference League in 2022 and a series of disputes with referees.

The Portuguese has not worked outside of the top five European leagues since 2004, when he left Porto after winning the Champions League and joined Chelsea, which was on the rise under then-owner Roman Abramovich.

Since then he has also coached Inter Milan, Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham in a career filled with trophies and off-field controversy.

Fenerbahce finished second to fierce rival Galatasaray in the Turkish league this season and clashed with the Turkish soccer authorities, including by taking its team off the field in the Turkish Super Cup game in protest.

- Associated Press 

AURIER MOVES FROM NOTTINGHAM FOREST TO GALATASARAY

Reuters 

 Ivory Coast captain Serge Aurier has joined Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray from Premier League Nottingham Forest, both clubs said on Friday.

The 31-year-old defender, currently on international duty in the Africa Cup of Nations, joined Forest in September 2022 and made 41 appearances in all competitions. He has featured 13 times this season.

Forest are 16th in the league standings, two points above the relegation zone.

TURKISH REFEREE LEAVES HOSPITAL WITH A BLACK EYE 36 HOURS AFTER ON-FIELD ATTACK

Reuters 

The referee who was punched on the pitch by the head of a top-tier Turkish soccer club was released from hospital on Wednesday with a swollen eye but no other health issues, the chief doctor said.

On Monday evening at the end of a Super Lig match, referee Halil Umut Meler was punched in the face and then kicked while lying on the pitch. On Wednesday morning, TV footage showed him leaving the Ankara hospital and entering a black van.

Mehmet Yorubulut, chief doctor at Acibadem hospital, said the head fracture he suffered would heal in time. "The bleeding in Meler's left eye has almost completely stopped," he added.

TURKISH SOCCER CLUB PRESIDENT ARRESTED FOR PUNCHING REFEREE

Reuters 

The president of top tier Turkish soccer club Ankaragucu, Faruk Koca, was arrested on Tuesday for punching a referee in the face at the end of a match, with the official telling police that Koca had threatened to kill him.

The arrest followed an outbreak of violence during Super Lig club Ankaragucu's home match against Rizespor on Monday evening.

Referee Halil Umut Meler, who was also kicked while lying on the pitch, said that Koca had also threatened him and his colleagues, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported.

"Faruk Koca punched me under my left eye; I fell to the ground. While I was on the ground, other people kicked me in the face and other parts of my body many times," he said.

"Koca said to me and my colleagues, 'I will finish you'. Addressing me, he said, 'I will kill you'."

The Turkish court which made the arrest ruling also remanded in custody two other suspects over the incident.

TURKISH LEAGUES HALTED AFTERBCLUB PRESIDENT PUNCHER'S REFEREE

Reuters 

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has suspended all leagues on a night of "shame" for the nation's soccer after Ankaragucu's president Faruk Koca punched the referee in the face at the end of their Super Lig home match against Rizespor.

Koca entered the field and hit referee Halil Umut Meler when the final whistle blew after Rizespor scored a 97th minute equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Eryaman Stadium on Monday, footage from state broadcaster TRT showed.

Ankaragucu fans invaded the pitch after the game and Meler was also kicked when he fell, though it was unclear who his assailants were. Meler eventually made it to the dressing room with the help of the police.

PIRLO NAMED COACH AT SAMPDORIA

Reuters 

Former AC Milan and Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo has been appointed the new coach of Sampdoria on a two-year deal, the Italian Serie B side said on Tuesday.

Pirlo, who won the World Cup as a player with Italy in 2006, had a one-year stint as Juventus coach in 2020-21, after he briefly coached their under-23 team.

Juve sacked Pirlo in May 2021 after he led them to the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa titles but could only help them to fourth place in Serie A.

He was then appointed as manager of Turkey's top-tier side Fatih Karagumruk SK in June 2022.

The 44-year-old was released in May while the club, promoted to the top flight in 2020, finished seventh in the 2022-23 Turkish Super Lig.

Sampdoria will play in Serie B next season after being relegated from the top tier.

They finished bottom of Serie A in the 2022-23 campaign, after winning three games and losing 25.

He was then appointed as manager of Turkey's top-tier side Fatih Karagumruk SK in June 2022.

The 44-year-old was released in May while the club, promoted to the top flight in 2020, finished seventh in the 2022-23 Turkish Super Lig.

Sampdoria will play in Serie B next season after being relegated from the top tier.

They finished bottom of Serie A in the 2022-23 campaign, after winning three games and losing 25.

- Reuters