Serie A referee reportedly suspended for 'refusing to shake a female referee'
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Sassuolo Lineswoman Francesca Di Monte and the Referee Juan Luca Sacchi of Macerata during US Lecce vs US Sassuolo || Image credit: Imago

Serie A referee reportedly suspended for 'refusing to shake a female referee'

Faruq Ibrahim 16:41 - 10.10.2023

A referee in the Italian Serie A is reportedly set to be hit with a suspension after he was filmed 'snubbing' a female assistant referee.

A referee in Serie A Luca Sacchi is said to have been suspended for refusing to shake the hands of a female referee.  

Sacchi was the centre referee in the 1-1 draw at the Stadio Comunale Via del Mare between  Lecce and Sassuolo and has been implicated in accusations of sexism. 

What happened 

Before both teams strutted out onto the pitch, clips showed the Italian referee declining to shake the hands of a female assistant Francesca Di Monte. 

He was filmed rejecting the handshake before going on to shake hands with Lecce captain Gabriel Strefezza.  

When the clip went viral, Sacchi was accused of sexism, but the Italian Referees Association (AIA) initially put out a statement denouncing the notion, claiming it was an innocent oversight. 

Serie A referee Luca Sacchi || Image credit: Imago
Serie A referee Luca Sacchi || Image credit: Imago

 "We can absolutely exclude that this was a sexist gesture or a personal snub,” The statement said.

“As far as we are concerned, it is not a problem, it was only an involuntary gesture that was misinterpreted. The two colleagues worked well during the match and their performance was excellent."

Sassuolo Lineswoman Francesca Di Monte and the Referee Juan Luca Sacchi of Macerata during US Lecce vs US Sassuolo || Image credit: Imago
Sassuolo Lineswoman Francesca Di Monte and the Referee Juan Luca Sacchi of Macerata during US Lecce vs US Sassuolo || Image credit: Imago

"What is truly surprising is that there is talk of sexism in an association that has made the knocking down of gender barriers one of its greatest achievements." 

However, according to a report by the Daily Star, he has now been rebuked by the referee designator Gianluca Rocchi and received a one-match ban.

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