Juventus threatens changes after referee scandal

Juventus are threatening an overhaul in the boardroom to improve the Serie A club’s image which has been blemished by a scandal involving general director Luciano Moggi.
 
Moggi is at the centre of a sports fraud investigation after telephone transcripts of conversations between him and Pierluigi Pairetto, a former member of Italy's referees association, were passed given to the Italian football federation by a Turin prosecutor. In these conversations recorded during the 2004-05 season, Moggi tells Pairetto to assign certain referees of his choosing for some Juventus matches.
 
Juventus are trying to repair their damaged reputation, and Moggi, known with fellow directors Antonio Giraudo and Roberto Giraudo as ‘The Triad’, could soon be ousted. According to Italian media reports, Juventus could tell Moggi and Giraudo to leave on Thursday, with Bettega, a former player, the only one of the three who might be spared.
 
“The events of the last few days have not left us indifferent,” said John Elkann, vice-president of FIAT, the car company that owns Juventus. “We wanted to be near to the players and the coach.”
 
A Juventus’ victory Sunday left the club needing a point from its final league match, away to Reggina, to win the Serie A title for a 29th time.
 
Several Serie A coaches have voiced their disgust over the scandal which has rocked Italian football.
 
“If things remain the same here, I’m not putting up with it any more," said Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini. “I won't stay in Italy if the winners of the championship have already been decided.
 
“It wouldn't take much to change things - we need proper rules and honest people. Otherwise we should suspend the championship. That way the honest clubs won't throw away their money, and we can go and play in the streets where we will have more fun.”
 
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelloti agreed with Mancini.
 
“We need to clear this up and this could be the right moment to start afresh, with a different spirit, but the same passion from the public,” he said.
 
Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli was worried about the sport’s image, saying, “We're working hard to improve football, but things like this make it difficult.”
Juventus are unlikely to face league-imposed sanctions, as transcripts do not suggest that Moggi actually tried to fix the results of matches.