Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava faces disciplinary action after requesting an autograph from Lionel Messi following a CONCACAF Champions Cup match, violating the organization’s code of conduct.
Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava is in hot water after asking for an autograph from Lionel Messi following the Inter Miami’s 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the CONCACAF Champions Cup on February 19. After the match, Ortiz Nava approached Messi and gestured for his jersey, though he later clarified that he had requested Messi’s autograph for a relative with special needs.
However, the Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) deemed his actions unprofessional and in violation of its official conduct policies. In a statement, CONCACAF acknowledged that Ortiz Nava had admitted his mistake, apologized, and accepted the punishment. The organization emphasized that such behavior is incompatible with the expected conduct for officials.
CONCACAF also noted that there is a specific process for such requests, and Ortiz Nava’s behavior was not in line with professional standards. While the precise nature of his punishment has not been disclosed, Sporting Kansas City informed both CONCACAF and Major League Soccer (MLS) about the incident, signaling that further disciplinary actions might follow.
In the same match, Messi scored the only goal for Inter Miami, and the game had been postponed a day due to snowstorm warnings in Kansas City. Although no snow fell on the day of the match, the frigid conditions posed a challenge for players, with Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano commenting, “It wasn’t a human environment to play football in.”
Liberty News’ sports correspondent states that the return leg of the tie will take place on February 25 at Inter Miami’s home ground, DRV PNK Stadium, but the referee controversy has already sparked significant criticism.
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