Faruk Koca, the former president of Turkish elite division side Ankaragucu, has been slammed with a lifetime ban from football for a brutal assault on match referee during a Super Lig match, MySportDab reports.
Koca stirred global backlash for his wild and furious assault on the center-referee during a match between his club Ankaragucu and Rizespor.
Ankaragucu had took the lead in the game but Rizespor finally got the equaliser in 97th minute.
The last-gasp equaliser got Koca furious and at the blast of the final whistle, he went wild, storming into the pitch and dealing deadly blows and jabs to Halil Umut Meler, who fell to the ground before being rescued by other match officials.
Turkey president Reccep Tayyip Erdogan, including FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the attack.
All Super Lig matches were immediately suspended indefinitely with Halil Umut Meler rushed to the hospital while Faruk Koca was arrested by Turkish authorities.
According to the Sun, Turkish FA have slammed Faruk Koca with a lifetime ban from everything football.
Meanwhile, he is still under custoday with reports Turkish authorities are set to prosecute him and slammed him with additional penalty as stipulated in Turkish law.
Following the global backlash, Koca seemingly knew what was coming for him as he had tendered his resignation on Tuesday before the ban by Turkish FA.
While admitting to his wrongdoing, he denied hurting Meler saying he only slap him once and did not intend to injure him.
Meanwhile, Meler was left with a bruised and swollen face when he was rescued.
Footages showed Koca was the protagonist of the brutal assault but another angle of the footage shows several faceless legs kicking Meler in the face while he curled up on the ground.
And it is believed, those faceless assailants, who are reportedly yet to he apprehended, had a hand in the bruises sustained by Meler during the attack.
