Six-month ban for referee who asked for Messi's autograph

Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava will not referee CONCACAF international matches for six months after being sanctioned by North American football's governing body for asking Leo Messi for an autograph after a match.

The events took place in the Sporting Kansas City-Inter Miami of the Concacaf Champions that had to be postponed in the first place by the low temperatures and that finally was played with -15 degrees and ended with a 0-1 win for the Florida team.

"CONCACAF has been made aware of the interaction between referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava and player Lionel Messi after the final whistle of the CONCACAF Champions Cup match between Sporting Kansas City and Inter Miami. Following an investigation, the body has learned that the referee approached the player to get an autograph for a disabled family member," CONCACAF said in a letter.

"This conduct is not in accordance with the code of conduct for referees, as there are other mechanisms for such requests. The referee has been aware of his mistake, apologised and accepted CONCACAF's sanction," continued the continental body, which later announced the half-year sanction.

Although he cannot referee in international matches, Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava will still be allowed to referee matches in Mexico and was the referee in charge of the match between Puebla and Tijuana last Friday. In any case, if the referee reoffends, he will be punished indefinitely.