Referee Juan Luca Sacchi has been suspended for at least one match for ignoring his assistant Francesca Di Monte in the tunnel before Lecce's 1-1 draw with Sassuolo on Friday.
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In the video of the episode, Sacchi greets Sassuolo captain Ferrari and then, to do the same with Lecce's Strefezza, he beautifully skips past Di Monte, who remains visibly astonished.
The Hague called the incident “an unjustifiable rudeness,” but ruled out the possibility that it was a sexist gesture.
Sacchi apologized for the incident, claiming it was a careless mistake.
Rocchi: “You have to be impeccable in every detail”
The referee designator Gianluca Rocchi reiterated to Sacchi and the entire refereeing team that "from when you arrive at the stadium to when you return home you need to be impeccable in every detail, precisely to avoid making gaffes like this one".
“With dozens of cameras scattered everywhere inside the stadium, every situation, even the smallest one, must be handled with lucidity,” added Rocchi.
Di Monte's defense
Di Monte, who has an excellent relationship with Sacchi, asked the refereeing heads not to overdo the punishment.
“It was just an involuntary and misinterpreted gesture,” said the international lineswoman.
An episode that has caused discussion
The episode caused quite an outcry on social media, with many users criticizing Sacchi for his lack of respect towards Di Monte.
Others have instead underlined that it was a careless mistake, which should not be overestimated.
Article published on 8 October 2023 - 08:32
