Faruk Koca: Ankaragucu president resigns following arrest for punching referee

Faruk Koca resigned as president of Turkish club Ankaragucu on Tuesday following his arrest 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.

Ankaragucu issued a statement later Tuesday confirming Koca had stepped down, replaced by his deputy, Ismail Mert Firat.

Koca's 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 by a supporter who invaded the pitch after being floored by Koca, 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.

"This incident developed due to the wrong decisions and provocative behaviour of the referee. My aim was to react verbally to the referee and spit in his face," Koca told the court, according to Demiroren News Agency.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said it had suspended all leagues after the "shameful" incident in Ankara.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said Koca and two others were formally arrested for "injuring a public official" after prosecutors took statements from them.

"The investigation is continuing meticulously," he said on social media platform X, adding judicial controls were imposed on three other suspects.

Koca entered the field and hit Meler when the