The president of top-tier Turkish football club Ankaragücü, Faruk Koca, was arrested 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 Süper Lig club Ankaragücü'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, the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) 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 behavior of the referee. My aim was to react verbally to the referee and spit in his face," Koca told the court, according to Demirören News Agency.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said it had suspended all leagues after the "shameful" incident in Ankara.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç 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 final whistle blew after Rizespor scored a 97th-minute equalizer in the 1-1 draw at Eryaman Stadium, footage showed.
The referee was lying in a hospital bed with a swollen face and a neck brace, footage provided by the ministry showed.
"The bleeding in Meler's left eye started to decrease" and there will be no permanent damage, said Mehmet Yorubulut, chief doctor of Acıbadem hospital.
"The fracture there will gradually heal. There is no brain damage," he said, adding he will likely be discharged Wednesday.
After the match, footage showed Ankaragücü fans invaded the pitch and Meler was also kicked when he fell. He eventually made it to the dressing room with the help of the police.
The federation said Ankaragücü, its chairman, club officials and all those guilty of attacking the referee will be "punished in the strongest terms possible."
"Turkish football has been punched shamefully tonight. Everyone involved in this incident will pay the price," TFF Chairman Mehmet Büyükekşi said, according to TRT.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the events that took place after the match were "totally unacceptable and have no place in our sport or society."
"Without match officials there is no football," he added.
"Referees, players, fans and staff have to be safe and secure to enjoy the game, and I call on the relevant authorities to ensure that this is strictly implemented and respected at all levels."
The attack also prompted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – a one-time football player whose love for the game has helped improve the fortunes of top Turkish clubs – to issue a late-night appeal for calm.
"Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence," he said in a social media statement.
"We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports."
Meler, a FIFA referee since 2017, 37-year-old Meler took charge of Lazio's Champions League group game with Celtic on Nov. 28.
Referees in Türkiye are often criticized by club managers and presidents for their decisions but are rarely the target of violent attacks.
Ankaragücü are 11th in the standings on 18 points, three places below Rizespor on 22 points after 15 matches. It is unclear when Süper Lig matches will resume.
