The Times reports on yet another instance of money f*cking up football:
‘Pierluigi Collina, the bald, bug-eyed Italian referee, has retired after a dispute involving his personal sponsorship. Collina, 45, who refereed the 2002 World Cup final, fell out with the Italian football federation (FIGC) because he has the same sponsor as AC Milan, the Serie A club. The FIGC deemed it as a conflict of interest and that it contravened its rules as well as those of the Italian football referees’ association (AIA).
‘Having been told that he would have to officiate in Serie B unless he dropped his backer, Collina had a meeting with Tullio Lanese, the AIA president. It proved unsuccessful. “I have slept less these last few nights than on the eve of the World Cup final,” Collina said. “For me, it wouldn’t have been a problem to referee in Serie B, but either the FIGC have faith in us referees or they don’t. If they don’t, then we have to go.”
‘Collina, from Viareggio in Tuscany, was voted the world’s best referee six times and had become a celebrity in Italy. He was due to stand down from refereeing in Serie A at the end of last season because he had reached its retirement age but the FIGC allowed him to carry on because of his reputation.’