Turkish football authorities on Thursday banned the country’s best known player Arda Turan, on loan at Super Lig contenders Basaksehir from Barcelona, for 16 games after he attacked a referee in the last minutes of a game.
Turan was banned for 10 matches for attacking the assistant referee, three matches for insulting him and another three matches for threatening him.
“In total he is suspended for 16 matches,” the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said in a statement following a meeting of its disciplinary committee.
He was also fined 39,000 lira ($9,200).
Turkish media said the punishment was a record.