Mexican referee banned after asking Messi for autograph
Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava has been banned from officiating in Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) competitions for six months after asking Lionel Messi for an autograph, a source told ESPN.
According to media reports, the incident occurred on February 19 after Inter Miami’s 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the Concacaf Champions Cup. After the match, Ortiz Nava approached Messi and requested an autograph for a family member with special needs.
Concacaf reviewed the situation and stated that the referee’s actions violated their Code of Conduct for match officials. They added that Ortiz Nava admitted his mistake, apologised, and accepted the punishment.
Although banned from Concacaf matches, Ortiz Nava can still officiate in Mexico’s Liga MX. However, if he repeats such behaviour, he could face a permanent ban.
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