Referees often take a verbal battering in sport, but sometimes players go that bit too far.

Italian footballer Paolo di Canio was banned for 11 matches when he pushed referee Paul Alcock to the ground after being sent off against Arsenal at Hillsborough. His club Sheffield Wednesday promptly sold him following the incident.

In recent seasons Di Canio has been in the headlines again for an investigation into him allegedly giving Nazi salutes to supporters of Lazio, the Rome football team for whom he now plays and who are notorious for their right-wing hardcore fan base.

When asked to atone for his actions, he said: "I am a fascist, but I'm not a racist."