Ovidiu Hațegan
Ovidiu Alin Haţegan is a Romanian professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Liga I and for FIFA as a FIFA international referee.Football career
Born in Arad, Arad County, Haţegan became a FIFA referee in 2008. He went to referee at both the UEFA Euro 2012 and 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns.
In 2013, UEFA president Michel Platini ordered an internal investigation to ascertain why Haţegan did not follow the protocol for dealing with incidents of a racist nature during a match at the Arena Khimki between Manchester City and PFC CSKA Moscow. On 9 November 2017, he was in charge of the first leg of the 2018 World Cup qualification play-off where Switzerland defeated hosts Northern Ireland 1–0 courtesy of a highly controversial penalty kick that was awarded when the ball struck a defender's back which was perceived by the official as having hit his arm.
On 19 November 2018, after being informed at half-time of the UEFA Nations League fixture between Germany and the Netherlands of the death of his mother, and even though he could have legally been replaced, Haţegan chose to continue officiating until the end of the match, which ended 2–2 in Gelsenkirchen and qualified the visiting team to the final four. Visibly distraught, he was consoled after the full whistle by Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk.Personal life
Haţegan majored in medicine at the Victor Babeș University in Timișoara. Later, he taught anatomy in English at the Vasile Goldiș Western University in his hometown.
Haţegan married his wife Nicoleta in 2009, with the couple fathering one son.Refereeing record
Summer Olympics
