Sexy Italian model gives up modelling to become professional referee

Italian glamour model Claudia Romani is giving up her modelling career to follow her dream of becoming a professional referee.

The beauty queen has featured in magazines like GQ and Maxim, and in 2006 was voted one of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World by FHM Denmark.

Romani, though, has always been passionate about football, and decided the best way to get up close and personal with the game that she loved was to qualify as a referee.

And she has now gained the coaching badges needed to officially take charge of the professional men's game in Italy.

The 32-year-old, who is a big fan of AC Milan, said: "Running around on the pitch with all those players and calling the shots is just an irresistible opportunity."

Romani is already allowed to referee on second division games in the Italian Serie B, and hopes that she will soon be able to move on to Italian first division Serie A.

Technically, women are allowed to referee top league games, but until now it has failed to happen.

The phenomenon of female referees is a relatively recent one and some worry about the level of sexism that may be directed toward them.