Soccer: Italian state broadcaster may sue FIFA

ROME - Italian state broadcaster RAI is considering taking legal action against soccer ruling body FIFA because of refereeing errors it believes led to Italy's defeat at the World Cup.

In a statement, RAI said it had asked its legal department to study building a case showing that FIFA was responsible for the poor quality refereeing.

"(The case) would seek to have FIFA reimburse damages suffered by (RAI) following the exit of the Italian team from the World Cup on the basis of universally recognised refereeing errors, errors that were so blatant they could only be described as the product of serious fraud," the statement said.

Last year, RAI agreed to pay German company KirchMedia around $US140 million ($NZ290.33 million) to show all games from the Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup and 25 matches from the 2006 tournament in Germany.

Until Italy's 2-1 defeat to South Korea earlier this week, games involving the national squad were drawing up to 20 million viewers and substantial advertising revenue for RAI. But with Italy's exit, viewing figures are expected to drop sharply.

RAI's threat of legal action is the latest assault by Italy against soccer's world governing body, with the Italian media firmly laying the blame for the team's exit on poor refereeing and even suggesting that behind-the-scenes powers were brought to bear.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, speaking in an interview with Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday, criticised some of the refereeing at the World Cup, but also said that Italy should stop being such bad losers.

"The refereeing has been the only negative aspect of this World Cup," he said. "The (linesmen) have been a disaster, especially when it comes to off-side."

In Tuesday's second-round clash with South Korea, Italy had a goal disallowed for off-side and playmaker Francesco Totti was controversially sent off by Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno.

Earlier in the tournament, Italy had a further four goals disallowed for off-side in three games, despite video replay evidence indicating that the linesmen may have called incorrectly.

- REUTERS

nzherald.co.nz/fifaworldcup

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