Football in disarray

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COVISOC – the organization that monitors the financial practices of Italian clubs has informed that 18 clubs are to be excluded from next season’s competition. Newly promoted clubs Torino and Messina could not participate in Serie A because of outstanding tax bills and irregularities in their accounting procedures. In addition Perugia and Salernitana should not be able to play in Serie B, and additional 16 clubs in Serie C, for the same reasons.

While other clubs are entitled to three levels of appeal and are expected to take their cases to the Italian Olympic Committee, Torino’s problems are not only financial but stem from a false guarantee that was used to pay off tax bills. Torino claimed that they didn’t know that an agent, supposedly working on behalf of the club, falsified paperwork relating to the bond.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) will adopt the COVISOC decisions under the ‘Lodo Petrucci’ rule that was introduced into Italian football last summer. According to the rule, clubs which fails to provide sufficient guarantees would be forced to play one division below what they were currently involved.

However, the Italian Olympic Committee Council (CONI) has rejected all appeals received from those clubs. The next option is to present their appeal to Lazio's

Regional court, and then to the State Council as a last resort. Messina president Pietro Franza complained: "It seems to me a really absurd situation. We have presented complete useful documents for the inscription," said Franza. "What will we do? We are ready to appeal to Lazio's Regional court." Torino's owner Franco

Cimminelli appears more confident of a positive outcome, saying: "By August 10th everything will be defined. I'm sure we will play in next season's Serie A. We are doing everything possible."

The final composition of Serie A and B will be confirmed in the next few weeks, and Italian sides Treviso and Bologna will be following the situation closely, as they stand to benefit if Torino and Messina continue to be rejected.