Moggi 'ruled Calcio with iron fist' Friday 4 August, 2006
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The CAF has given its reasons for reducing the penalties in the Calciopoli trial, stating Luciano Moggi 'forced’ Lazio, Fiorentina and Milan to seek aid.
The Federal Court of Appeal slashed the original punishment meted out in the inquest, returning Lazio and Fiorentina to Serie A following their demotion and cutting the points deductions given to Milan and Juventus.
“Moggi was responsible for serious episodes of sporting fraud, both over time – in particular the 2004-05 season – and his behaviour which was aimed at creating a structure that would alter the competition through conditioning of refereeing decisions,” explained President Pietro Santulli in the paperwork released this evening.
“As his illicit design was eventually successful, he damaged the public’s faith in the fairness of sporting competition.”
Juventus were the only club to remain in Serie B after the appeal to the CAF and Santulli revealed why the Turin giants were punished so much more than the other sides involved.
“The behaviour of Moggi and Antonio Giraudo cannot be compared to the other directors (Fiorentina’s Andrea Della Valle and Milan’s Leonardo Mencucci, ndr), whose actions had nowhere near the same causal effect. The Juventus representatives had the full and concrete intention of falsifying the table by conditioning referees, whose decisions were influenced by Moggi and Giraudo.”
Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio had claimed that they were merely 'reacting’ to the Moggi system in place, a theory that was in part accepted by the CAF.
“The Juventus directors were certainly highly poisonous in their systematic and organised stability. This means their position in this trial is incomparable to the others.”
Nonetheless, the Bianconeri’s original 30-point penalty in Serie B for the 2006-07 season was reduced to 17 on appeal, giving them a better chance of gaining promotion within the year.
“It seems right to view the original penalty with the important and prestigious sporting history of this club, the fruits of which were also enjoyed by the national team,” continued the CAF’s report. “The resignation and removal of the directors responsible for the punishment should also be a factor in favour of the side.”
Juventus are not content with the verdict and have lodged an appeal to the CONI’s Court of Conciliation. Their lawyers will be heard on August 18, while Milan vice-President Adriano Galliani and Juve’s Antonio Giraudo’s hearings are on September 5.
Moggi and former FIGC vice-President Innocenzo Mazzini are to discuss their positions on September 7.
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/aug4i.html