BUCHAREST: The Romanian international referee Ovidiu Hategan, one of the pre-selected officials for the World Cup finals in Qatar, has undergone emergency surgery after suffering a heart attack on Sunday.

Hategan, in a statement issued through the Romanian football federation, said: “Now I’m fine, everything is in order.”

The 41-year-old’s last international assignment was the February 23 Champions League clash between Atlético Madrid and Manchester United on February 23.

It is too soon to assess his prospects of officiating at the World Cup finals in November and December.

Hategan was in Arad, his hometown, and was transferred to the nearby city of Timisoara, to undergo surgery. The referee said that he needs “tranquility” and asked that his privacy be respected.

According to a local source Hategan felt “a pain in his chest” while training. The source added: “Since he is a doctor by profession, he realized the symptoms and took the car to go to the hospital alone.”

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