News Alerts
Headlines
Italy braces for match-fixing charges
Italy - 22 June, 2006
Adjust font size:
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) prosecutor is preparing his charges against clubs and officials involved in the scandals that have rocked Serie A.
Stefano Palazzi received the findings of the FIGC investigation from its chief magistrate, Francesco Borrelli, on Monday.
Charges could come immediately, though they might be delayed until Friday to avoid distracting the national team leading to its Thursday World Cup match against the Czech Republic.
Thirteen of Italy's 23-man World Cup squad play for Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina, the teams most deeply implicated in the scandal. The national team needs at least a draw against the Czechs to guarantee a place in the knockout phase.
Italy's biggest football scandal in more than 20 years began last month when newspapers published intercepted telephone conversations between Juventus's former general manager Luciano Moggi and senior FIGC officials discussing refereeing appointments for games during the 20042005 season.
Within a week the FIGC president Franco Carraro and the entire Juventus board had resigned. Moggi himself quit on the final day of the season after watching Juventus wrap up their 29th Serie A title.
At the trial by sporting authorities, which is expected to start at Rome's Olympic Stadium on June 27 or 28, clubs and individuals face two possible charges: "sporting fraud" and contravening rules governing "fairness and probity" in the game.
The first carries penalties ranging from having points deducted the following season to relegation to a lower division and loss of titles. Punishments for the second charge include official warnings or fines as well as points deducted, relegation and loss of titles. Individuals risk being banned from the sport.
Though no official details of Borrelli's report have been released, Juventus appear to be in the most difficult position. Some reports have speculated that the club could even be sent down to Serie C1 - the third division - as well as forfeiture of the Serie A titles won in the last two seasons.
Carraro and Moggi are among the former high-ranking officials expected to be called to trial by Palazzi. The trial is expected to deliver its verdicts between July 7 and 9, the World Cup final weekend.
Clubs will be able to appeal but the whole process must be complete by July 27, in time for the FIGC to submit to UEFA the names of the teams taking part in next season's Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions.
Stefano Palazzi received the findings of the FIGC investigation from its chief magistrate, Francesco Borrelli, on Monday.
Charges could come immediately, though they might be delayed until Friday to avoid distracting the national team leading to its Thursday World Cup match against the Czech Republic.
Thirteen of Italy's 23-man World Cup squad play for Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina, the teams most deeply implicated in the scandal. The national team needs at least a draw against the Czechs to guarantee a place in the knockout phase.
Italy's biggest football scandal in more than 20 years began last month when newspapers published intercepted telephone conversations between Juventus's former general manager Luciano Moggi and senior FIGC officials discussing refereeing appointments for games during the 20042005 season.
Within a week the FIGC president Franco Carraro and the entire Juventus board had resigned. Moggi himself quit on the final day of the season after watching Juventus wrap up their 29th Serie A title.
At the trial by sporting authorities, which is expected to start at Rome's Olympic Stadium on June 27 or 28, clubs and individuals face two possible charges: "sporting fraud" and contravening rules governing "fairness and probity" in the game.
The first carries penalties ranging from having points deducted the following season to relegation to a lower division and loss of titles. Punishments for the second charge include official warnings or fines as well as points deducted, relegation and loss of titles. Individuals risk being banned from the sport.
Though no official details of Borrelli's report have been released, Juventus appear to be in the most difficult position. Some reports have speculated that the club could even be sent down to Serie C1 - the third division - as well as forfeiture of the Serie A titles won in the last two seasons.
Carraro and Moggi are among the former high-ranking officials expected to be called to trial by Palazzi. The trial is expected to deliver its verdicts between July 7 and 9, the World Cup final weekend.
Clubs will be able to appeal but the whole process must be complete by July 27, in time for the FIGC to submit to UEFA the names of the teams taking part in next season's Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions.
Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 -
All rights reserved.
© Copyright message
The copying, republication, redistribution or web posting (including by framing or similar means) of this content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of euFootball.BIZ
-
Finance
Television
Sponsorship
Marketing
Technology
Competitions
Clubs
Stadia-Facilities
Legal
Administration
Events