Ref errors cost Italy, says Blatter

By David Anderson

FIFA PRESIDENT Sepp Blatter has admitted Italy were knocked out of the World Cup by a catalogue of refereeing mistakes.

“They were certainly damaged,” he said. “The worst mistake came at the most crucial moment, when Damiano Tommasi was given off-side against South Korea as he was about to score in extra-time.

“I’m convinced the referee was right not to give a penalty when Francesco Totti fell in the box, but that wasn’t the moment to give him another yellow card,” he added.

The 56-year-old’s comments follow two days of outrage in Italy following their side’s golden-goal defeat to South Korea in the second round.

Players and officials have suggested a Fifa plot may have been behind the series of incorrectly disallowed goals in Italy’s aborted World Cup campaign. However, Blatter rejected the claims.

“There was no interest for Fifa in seeing another great nation out of the tournament,” he said. “It has obviously done us harm to see France, Argentina and Portugal knocked out so early.