Referee Slavko Vincic will officiate Italy for the third time in his career. One year ago, he was arrested and accused of being part of a prostitution ring and discharged without charge.
Who knows what would have happened if the Euros had been played one year ago. It was May 2020 when the international referee was arrested as part of a drugs and prostitution raid at a party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It later emerged the referee was at the wrong place at the wrong time and was arrested by mistake, later being cleared of any involvement in the alleged prostitution ring.
“I was in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a business meeting. I found myself on this ranch by chance. I have my own company,” he told Slovenian outlet Vecer after being discharged without charge.
“I was sitting at a table with my company, all of a sudden the police came and what happened, happened.”
Born in Maribor, the 41-year-old has turned professional in 2007 and is a FIFA accredited referee since 2010.
He was appointed for Spain vs. Sweden and Switzerland vs. Turkey at UEFA Euro 2020 and has officiated Italy twice during his career.
Both games ended with 2-0 wins for the Azzurri, against Albania in First against Albania in 2017 and this past March against Bulgaria.
He has officiated Belgium only once in a 4-2 win over Denmark in November 2020.
He was the referee of Inter‘s 0-0 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League group stage this past December, which caused Inter’s elimination from Europe.
Italy hope the outcome of tonight’s clash will be much different.