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Bucharest (AP) - The Romanian linesman Octavian Sovre has justified his controversial autograph request to the Dortmund star striker Erling Haaland.
This was done for a good cause, said Sovre on Thursday the portal «playsport.ro».
He has been systematically collecting autographs from various athletes for a long time, which are then sold to a Romanian association to support autistic people.
Sovre had asked for an autograph on Tuesday evening after Borussia Dortmund's quarter-final first leg in the football Champions League at Manchester City (1: 2) when he walked into the dressing room, as could be seen on the English TV provider BT Sport.
This unusual request had caused excitement and some criticism
It remains to be seen whether the case with the European football association UEFA will have an aftermath.
The matter will not be commented on, UEFA said on request.
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The association "SOS Autism" from Sovre's home region of Bihor took the line judge under protection and offered him honorary membership.
Thank you for the donations, without which the association could not work, explained the chairwoman Simona Zlibut to the portal «gsp.ro».
Sovre estimates that he collected around 250 autographs and gave them to “SOS Autism”.
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi even gave him nine autographs after telling him they were for a good cause.
His autograph hunt has always been done discreetly.
But now, by chance, a TV camera in Manchester recorded his meeting with Haaland.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210408-99-130103 / 2
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Interview with Sovre, Romanian
Match information on UEFA.com
BT Sport