Italian referee Daniele Orsato said that he refused to work as a member of the expert referee commission of the Russian Football Union.
"Am I going to Russia? Absolutely not. I was offered to cooperate with the RFU as an expert on the work of referees. Flattered by this invitation, but in light of the current socio-political situation and the ethical principles that have always guided me both on and off the field, I decided not to accept," Orsato said in a comment to Repubblica Sport.
Recall, Orsato previously served matches of the Italian championship, Champions League, Euro 2020, World Cup 2022, Euro 2024. In 2020 he was recognized by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics as the best referee of the year.