Former Turkish club president released on bail after punching referee

ANKARA, Turkey (AP):

Faruk Koca, the former president of a Turkish top-division football team who was jailed for punching a referee, has been released on bail, the country's state-run news agency reported yesterday.

Koca, who resigned as president of MKE Ankaragucu after punching referee Halil Umut Meler, will still be required to report regularly to the authorities, the Anadolu Agency said.

Meler was attacked on December 11 after the final whistle of a 1-1 draw between Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor. The referee, who was also kicked by two other people while lying on the ground, was hospitalised with a minor fracture close to his eye.

Koca is scheduled to stand trial on January 9 on charges of injuring a public official, threatening an official, and violating a law relating to the prevention of violence in sports. Two other people have also been charged for kicking the referee.

The Turkish Football Federation, in response to the incident, suspended all league games for a week and imposed a permanent ban on Koca.

Ankaragucu was fined two million lira ($69,000) and must play five home games without fans.