England fan who flashed Diamanti at Euro 2012 exposed

LONDON (AFP) –

Italian midfielder Alessandro Diamanti scores a penalty as Italy plays England at the Euro 2012 quarter-finals on Sunday. Behind goalkeeper Joe Hart — and unseen in this photo — an England fan has pulled down his pants in a vain bid to distract Diamanti. On Wednesday the fan, Tim O’Leary, was exposed again as a 35-year-old multi-millionaire who said he was “just trying to do my bit”.

The England fan who exposed himself in a vain bid to distract Italy’s Alessandro Diamanti as he took the decisive penalty in Sunday’s Euro 2012 quarter-final penalty shootout said on Wednesday he had no regrets.

Tim O’Leary, a 35-year-old multi-millionaire who has a trading company in the City of London, told the Sun he would do anything to see England win – however Diamanti coolly slotted the penalty home for a 4-2 win on penalties.

“I was just trying to do my bit,’ he told the Sun.

“It was a spur of the moment thing. I’d do anything to see England win, but sadly it didn’t work.”

O’Leary, who was standing behind the goal where the penalties were being taken and decided to lower his trousers as Diamanti stepped up, said he had paid for the effort physically having run from one end of the stadium in Kiev to the other to be in the perfect position.

“I ran because I knew we were going to lose and I wanted to try and put the guy off,” said O’Leary.

“I did it wearing shin pads, football boots, you name it. The blisters on my feet are absolutely killing.”

O’Leary got the stamp of approval from his wife Klara, who watched the game on TV as she is eight months pregnant with twins.

“She found it very, very funny.”