Assaulted Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler says he ‘won’t forgive’ former Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca after he was punched and kicked in shocking attack on the pitch 

• Ref Halil Umut Meler was released from Ankara hospital on Wednesday
• The Turkish Football Federation have handed Faruk Koca a lifetime ban
• Have you witnessed abuse of referees? Contact [email protected] 

Referee Halil Umut Meler says he ‘won’t forgive’ former Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca after he was punched at the end of a Turkish top-flight match.

Koca ran on to the field and attacked Meler after his team conceded a 97th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 Super Lig draw with Caykur Rizespor in Turkey.

Meler left hospital on Wednesday with a swollen eye.

‘No, I did not forgive [Koca], I will not forgive,’ he told Turkish media.

Speaking about the incident, Meler told Turkish outlet Hurriyet: ‘The person who did this punched me, I collapsed and fell to the ground. But the actual kicking while I was on the ground will be something I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Referee Halil Umut Meler (above) was released from Ankara hospital on Wednesday

Meler was punched in the head during his side’s game against Rizespor on December 11

The match official was sent crashing to the ground after the punch and sustained a black eye

Former president of MKE Ankaragucu Faruk Koca has been handed a lifetime ban

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‘That’s why, in conscience, I will never forgive. I will not forgive in any way, I will never forgive those who did it or those who provoked it. I am saying this specifically, I will not forgive those who provoked it or those who did it.’

All leagues were suspended by the TFF the aftermath and the top-flight resumed on Tuesday. But one of the three games scheduled was abandoned when Istanbulspor’s president withdrew his team from the pitch in protest at a refereeing decision in their game against Trabzonspor.

Meler has been officiating in the Turkish Super Lig since 2015 and officiates international games for FIFA

‘I think this was a milestone,’ Meler said.

‘No one should provoke [referees]. Everyone does their job.

‘It is said that the problem is lack of education. No, there is training in refereeing that is not available in corporate companies. That’s why I think referees should be encouraged. I think they are also tired of some things. We always say, pressure, pressure. Not only me, they also have a family.

Koca was handed a lifetime ban by Turkey’s football federation

The Turkish football federation’s disciplinary board has also ordered Ankaragucu to play five home matches behind closed doors and fined the club 60,000 euros ($66,000).

Koca rushed onto the pitch with a group of men following Ankaragucu’s draw with Caykur Rizespor on Monday, throwing a punch at referee Halil Umut Meler after he had blown the final whistle.

Koca, who was touted as a possible candidate for mayor of Ankara, subsequently resigned from his post.

Koca appeared to be incensed at Meler for sending off one of his players and then awarding a stoppage-time goal.

Mail Sport has launched a campaign to stop the abuse of referees at all levels of the game

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Meler fell to the ground and was kicked several times in the ensuing melee.

‘Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence,’ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a social media statement on Monday.

According to Turkish press reports, Koca also resigned from Erdogan’s ruling AKP party.

Koca told one reporter earlier this year that he could consider running for Ankara mayor as the AKP candidate in a closely-watched municipal election scheduled for March 31.

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