Inter in financial scandal Wednesday 20 June, 2007
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Inter fiddled their books to register for the 2005-06 season – this is the accusation launched by the financial authorities.
Every club must pass the checks by the Covisoc in the summer proving their financial stability before they can enter the Serie A or B championship.
“If Inter had not covered their losses with false accounting, they would not have passed the requested parameters to register for the 2005-06 season,” member of the Covisoc Maugeri is quoted as saying in the 'Gazzetta dello Sport.’
There is an inquest into the finances of the clubs in that campaign led by Milan public prosecutor Carlo Nocerino.
The claims against several sides – including Milan, Sampdoria and Reggina – is that they artificially inflated the worth of youth team players so it seemed as if they were making more of a profit from their sale.
The Nerazzurri have rejected the latest accusation that has drawn them into the investigation.
“Regarding the news stories on the 2005-06 Serie A season and the inquest, Inter note that they have never put fake plusvalenze into their balance sheets,” said an official statement.
“We have already provided the necessary paperwork to prove that, via the systematic increase of capital performed by the shareholders, we always guaranteed the full respect of the necessary financial balances.”
It’s a particularly embarrassing accusation, as 2005-06 was the season where Inter were given the Scudetto after Juventus were found guilty in the Calciopoli scandal and stripped of their title.
However, the club does not risk any penalty or seeing this Scudetto taken away from them again, according to the latest reports.
“We are not worried in the slightest over this inquest,” added President Massimo Moratti. “Of course it is disappointing, but frankly there doesn’t seem to be anything to concern ourselves about.”
Inter have repeatedly stated they were the 'only clean side’ in the running for trophies in 2005-06, so Moratti concedes this is an unfortunate turn of events.
“It’s a shame in terms of our image, but I am sure that the shadows of this story will soon be dissipated. We still need to give our deposition and that will definitively clear up a situation that in my eyes seems a little absurd.
“In fact, I hear that there are other clubs involved. I think financial instability at the side did not exist. I pay millions every day and am fully accustomed to checking the balance sheets, but clearly it is difficult to evaluate the value of a player who today is worth £3m and in a month could be worth either £8m or nothing.”
Could Inter be demoted? Wednesday 20 June, 2007
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Lawyers warn that Inter could be demoted to Serie B if the financial scandal is proved in the sporting courts!
The club has been named as part of an investigation into creative accounting in Serie A and a member of the Covisoc – the association that performs financial checks on Italian clubs – accused them of fiddling their 2005-06 accounts with artificially inflated player values, known as plusvalenze.
At first it seemed as if this would only result in a fine for the Nerazzurri, but specialist lawyer Mattia Grassani has a very different view.
“Financial fraud is a very serious crime, second only in the sporting justice system to sporting fraud,” he noted.
“The sanctions for directors go from a simple fine to up to five year suspensions with the possibility of a lifetime ban.
“For clubs the punishment can be either a fine, points penalties or even demotion. In the rules there is also the possibility of stripping the Scudetto, but that is up to the Federation President to decide.”
After Juventus were relegated to Serie B for their part in the Calciopoli scandal with Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina all given points penalties, will the justice system be equally as harsh on Inter?
“First of all we must ascertain whether Inter or indeed any other side has falsified financial documents, thanks to which they entered a competition that they would otherwise not have been qualified for,” explained former Investigative team member Mario Stagliano.
“In that case, we could begin inflicting the penalties set down by the rules.”
Although Inter are the newest additions to this investigation, Milan, Reggina and Sampdoria have already been named as part of the inquest.