Riding the gift horse

ROME, JAN 15: Italian soccer federation president Luciano Nizzola’s order to his referees to return gold Rolex watches, thousand-dollar exercise machines and other gifts showered on them and the supervisors by clubs have gone unheeded.

While the supervisors offered to resign, and magistrates opened inquiries in Rome and Turin, AS Roma confirmed they have not got back any of the 41 Rolexes owner Franco Sensi acknowledged handing out at a reported total cost of 120 million lire ($ 70,000).

Rather than criticising the gift-giving itself, many commentators have found fault with AS Roma for giving some people more expensive gifts than others.