Updated news about the Scandal [DO NOT POST COMMENTS] (13 Viewers)

[ReBeL]

Italy match-fixing scandal appeals set to begin


ROME, July 21 (Reuters) -- Appeals in Italy's match-fixing soccer scandal begin on Saturday with four top clubs seeking to overturn the guilty verdicts handed down by a sports tribunal last week.

"As judges we have the power to revise the proceedings of the sports tribunal," Piero Sandulli was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport on Friday.

"If there is evidence that the tribunal has decided not to take into consideration, we must understand why. This is not a new judgement, but a revision."

The appeals trial, which starts on Saturday at 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) at Rome's luxurious Hotel Parco dei Principi, will examine the tribunal's verdict that Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio were guilty of conspiring with referees and linesmen to rig games during the 2004/05 season.

Like the tribunal, the appeals trial will be closed to the public, with only the five judges, the defence lawyers and their clients allowed into the room in which it takes place.

Media will watch proceedings in a separate room via closed-circuit television.

Sandulli has said he does not know when the trial will reach its verdicts, though Italian media speculate they will arrive after the July 25 deadline set by UEFA for the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) to submit its list of teams for next season's Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions.

Reuters

 

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[ReBeL]

Juventus hopeful as appeals start in match-fixing scandal


ROME, July 22 (Reuters) - The lawyer representing Juventus at the appeals trial in Italy's match-fixing scandal said on Saturday he was hopeful that the sentence handed down last week by a sports tribunal would be reduce.

"I believe there are ample margins for the points penalty to be reduced," said Cesare Zaccone shortly before the appeals trial opened at Rome's luxurious Hotel Parco Dei Principi.

Asked whether he believed Juventus stood a chance of being reinstated in Serie A, Zaccone seemed less optimistic.

"Let's see. But let's not get our hopes up," he said.

Fiorentina owner Diego Della Valle told reporters outside the hotel that he had come to "put things straight."

"We only hope these judges manage to see things clearly because we've done nothing wrong," he said.

On the opening morning of the appeals trial, the judges summarised the arguments raised in the tribunal and listened to a series of legal objections by defence lawyers.

Reuters

 

[ReBeL]

CALL REPEATED


FIGC prosecutor Stefano Palazzi was in no mood to compromise, telling the appeals court that the tribunal had not been tough enough on Juventus and repeating his original call for the club to be sent down to Italy's third division.

Moggi's behaviour, he said, constituted a "series of violations of the principle of fair conduct, which amount to sporting fraud".

Like Juventus, the other three clubs involved have also denied any wrongdoing and are appealing against what they say are the unjust sentences of the tribunal.

Lazio lawyer Vittorio Siniscalchi attacked the tribunal's decision to admit the telephone intercepts as evidence, calling them "invasive" and "unreliable".

The chances of the appeals court rejecting the intercepts are remote, but Lazio were thrown a possible lifeline when the court's president, Piero Sandulli, upheld a request to allow new evidence from referee Daniele Tombolini.

Tombolini officiated in Lazio's 0-0 draw with Brescia in February 2005 - the match on which the tribunal based their guilty verdict.

Reuters

 

[JuveBoy]

I would like to thank ReBeL for keeping us up-to-date with his posts. Useful thread!

 

[Luftwaffles]

The next stage of the appeals process has the CONI Conciliation and Arbitration meeting timed for 14 August.

 

[ReBeL]

I would like to thank ReBeL for keeping us up-to-date with his posts. Useful thread!

Thanks, mate

 

[swag]

MINISTER PREPARES FOR CLEAN-UP

Italy's Minister for Sport Giovanna Melandri has announced a major clean-up of the nation's football after the match-fixing scandal.

She also claimed that procedures could have been put in place to prevent the recent controversy, but no action was taken was taken by the previous government led by Silvio Berlusconi.

"An investigative committee during the previous legislature looked into the problems of football, but the recommendations handed to the government were ignored," she said to Espresso magazine.

"It was all left to gather dust, but now those conclusions will provide me with a starting point."

One of the first consequences of this summer's match-fixing trial will affect the allocation of money from television revenue.

In recent years, the top clubs have earned up to 10 times as much money as the smaller ones after negotiating their own deals with cable and satellite broadcasters to show their matches live.

That should change from the 2007-08 season, however, with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) allocating all centralised television revenue in a fairer way based on a number of criteria, including league position.

Melandri believes FIGC interim president Guido Rossi has his work cut out beating the CONI-imposed three-month deadline to shake up the Italian game.

She said: "I do not want to interfere with CONI's decision, but I think three months are not enough for Rossi to complete his reforms."

http://www.sportinglife.com/footbal...al_feed/06/08/04/SOCCER_Ita-Match_fixing.html

 

[ReBeL]

Reggina charged in Italy match-fixing scandal


ROME, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Italy's football prosecutor on Monday ordered another Italian Serie A team, Reggina, to stand trial in a match-fixing scandal that has already penalised four of the country's elite clubs.

An Italian Football Federation (FIGC) spokesman said its prosecutor, Stefano Palazzi, had charged Reggina with sporting fraud. He did not offer details.

ANSA news agency reported that six Reggina matches were under scrutiny following telephone wiretaps involving the team's president, Lillo Foti.

Neither the club or Foti could be immediately reached for comment.

Reuters

 

[ReBeL]

Reggina enter Serie A crossfire


Should Reggina be found guilty and punished with relegation, Brescia have staked a claim to replace them by presenting a dossier to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) demanding their reinstatement to the top flight.

However, Bologna and Lecce are also hoping to claim a Serie A spot for next season.

Bologna finished the 2004/05 season one position above Brescia, although they too were relegated, and both sides finished mid-table in last season's Serie B.

Lecce, meanwhile, finished second-bottom in last season's Serie A and, along with fellow relegated club Treviso, were regarded as a top-flight team until Fiorentina and Lazio's relegations for their part in the match-fixing scandal were overturned.

TeamTalk.com

 

[Mark]

New Milan Calciopoli indictment
Tuesday 8 August, 2006
Milan’s Calciopoli trial isn’t over yet, as the club was indicted as part of the second wave of investigations.

Last night Reggina were indicted for sporting fraud after investigation into six games of the 2004-05 season. President Lillo Foti, former refereeing designator Paolo Bergamo and referees Pieri and Paolo Dondarini were also indicted by FIGC prosecutor Stefano Palazzi.

The area of the inquiry that relates to Milan, however, is that concerning Arezzo’s Serie B encounter with Salernitana that same season and a telephone conversation in which a linesman mentioned “holding back” Salernitana as they were attacking.

Tonight it emerged that Milan were also on Palazzi’s list put forward to the sporting tribunal due to former referees’ liaison for the club Leonardo Meani.

Meani was the man responsible for wiretapped telephone calls that saw Milan stripped of their automatic Champions League qualifying place, the chance to win the 2005-06 Scudetto and ordered to begin the next season with an eight-point handicap.

“It is with immense amazement that AC Milan discovered they had been indicted for indirect responsibility for an alleged irregularity by Leonardo Meani, relating to an event that supposedly took place around Arezzo-Salernitana in 2004-05,” read an official statement from the club.

“This was a Serie B match and the personal behaviour of Meani could not in any way be considered official Milan business, as the Federal Court confirmed in its appeal hearing.”

The indictment is for failing to report an alleged irregularity to the authorities.

_______________________

discuss here
http://www.juventuz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17224&page=97

 

[ReBeL]

Stefano Palazzi, the football federation's prosecutor, is expected to announce whether he plans to initiate trials against clubs Arezzo and Salernitana as well as Pierluigi Collina, the star referee.

The Finanacial Times

 

[ReBeL]

Lazio lodge match-fixing appeal


Lazio have officially presented their appeal against their punishment in the Italian match-fixing scandal to the Italian Olympic Committee.The Rome-based club were deducted 30 points from last season's Serie A total and therefore miss out on a place in the UEFA Cup this campaign.

Although the original punishment of relegation to Serie B was revised to allow the club back into Serie A - albeit with an 11-point penalty from the start of this season - Lazio president Claudio Lotito is hoping for a further reduction of penalty points.

Following the example of Juventus, Lazio will therefore go beyond the jurisdiction of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) by lodging their appeal with the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).

Lotito has also made his own appeal against a two-year suspension from all activity in football and a fine of 30,000 euros.

Juventus' appeal is to be heard on Thursday, with a slot now required for Lazio.

A number of individuals, including AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani and former Juve dignitaries Luciano Moggi and Antonio Giraudo, will then be heard.

Lotito will have his appeal heard in September.

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/060808/1/m2we.html

 

[ReBeL]

Ancelotti says Milan criticism was out of place


MILAN, Aug 8 (Reuters) - UEFA's harsh criticism of AC Milan over a match-rigging scandal was out of place, club coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's Champions League qualifying tie against Red Star Belgrade, Ancelotti was quoted by Italy's ANSA agency as saying: "I think it was a comment that was out of place and out of the blue, like a (Zinedine) Zidane headbutt."

The European governing body gave Milan a reluctant go-ahead last week to compete in the Champions League, but were scathing in their criticism of the club which will start the Serie A season with an eight-point penalty.

In a strongly worded statement last week UEFA said it did not have legal power to stop Milan playing in the Champions League but said the club would be under scrutiny.

"From the statement of AC Milan, the (Emergency) Panel concluded that 'the club has obviously not yet properly perceived the troubles it is in and the damage it already caused to European football," the statement said.

"UEFA and the club's opponents will observe with the utmost attention the future attitude of AC Milan around UEFA club competition fixtures.

"UEFA will not hesitate to intervene severely, should AC Milan be involved in any activities aiming to arrange improperly the outcome of a match.'"

Milan, six times European champions, were found guilty along with Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina last month in a Serie A match-fixing probe although a soccer appeals court reduced their initial punishment of a 15-point penalty down to eight.

Reuters

 

[ReBeL]

Here is the full programme of CONI appeals:


18 agosto (ore 15): Juventus
23 agosto (ore 11): Lazio
29 agosto (ore 11): Milan
29 agosto (ore 12.30): Fiorentina
29 agosto (ore 15.30): Treviso
5 settembre (ore 9.30): Claudio Lotito
5 settembre (ore 11.30): Adriano Galliani
5 settembre (ore 13.30): Sandro Mencucci
5 settembre (ore 15): Antonio Giraudo
6 settembre (ore 11): Massimo De Santis
6 settembre (ore 13): Tullio Lanese
7 settembre (ore 11): Innocenzo Mazzini
7 settembre (ore 12): Luciano Moggi

Lastampa.it

 

[Mark]

no comments here, thanks!

 

[ReBeL]

Italy prosecutor wants Reggina relegated



ROME, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Italian Serie A team Reggina should be relegated to the second division and docked 15 points at the start of the season for attempted match fixing, the country's football federation prosecutor said on Sunday.

Stefano Palazzi made his request during the federation's trial against the club, which is based in Reggio Calabria in the southern tip of Italy.

There is nothing to suggest that Palazzi's request will be upheld and the sentences against other Serie A clubs involved in the match-fixing trials this summer were all more lenient than the prosecutor had sought.

Reggina, who fought to avoid relegation in the last two seasons, is the latest and least known of the five teams which have faced charges in the match-fixing scandal.

Juventus were relegated to Serie B and docked 17 points at the start of the season for seeking an unfair advantage in the appointment of referees. They were also stripped of the Serie A titles they won in the last two seasons.

AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina were all allowed to remain in Serie A but with points penalties. The clubs have lodged a second round of appeals against their sentences, which were reduced in a first appeal.

Reggina were charged following telephone wiretaps of conversations involving club president Lillo Foti.

Reuters

 

[ReBeL]

Relegation sought for Arezzo


Rome - An Italian soccer federation prosecutor asked a sports tribunal Monday to relegate Serie B club Arezzo to the third division and dock the team three points for its role in the country's match-fixing scandal.

Arezzo, which finished seventh in the second division last season, was indicted on match-fixing charges last week along with Serie A team Reggina. The sports trial began Sunday, with prosecutor Stefano Palazzi requesting that Reggina be demoted to Serie B and docked 15 points.

It was not clear when a verdict would be issued.

Associated Press

 

[ReBeL]

Calciopoli discounts on the way?


The FIGC will take part in the CONI Conciliation meetings with the Calciopoli clubs and newspapers predict further cuts to the original penalties.

Juventus, Fiorentina, Lazio and Milan all saw their handicaps slashed in half by the first appeal, but have staged another legal action with the CONI.

As the start of the season is impending and there is another court left that these sides can appeal to – the Lazio TAR Tribunal – it’s claimed the Federation will negotiate a discount to end the issue now.

Juve are the first to be heard on August 18 and, if the FIGC attempts to offer a deal in order to avoid going to the TAR, then the other three sides can expect similar treatment.

Although it’s highly unlikely the Bianconeri will be allowed back into Serie A, they should have a few more points shaved off their handicap.

The original Calciopoli verdicts ordered them to start the 2006-07 campaign with a 30-point penalty, but that was cut to just 17 on appeal.

Lazio and Fiorentina were demoted, then brought back up to the top flight with an 11 and 19-point penalty respectively.

Milan’s original 15-point handicap was reduced to eight on appeal. They also had a one-match ban on playing at San Siro.

“It’s not true this is a whitewash,” assured a Federation source in the ‘Gazzetta dello Sport’. “The scandal has been noted and the sporting justice system must be respected for its verdicts.”

Meanwhile, Messina, Lecce and Brescia have formally been admitted to Juve’s CONI meeting as third parties in the scandal, as they seek a return to Serie A.

Channel 4

 

[ReBeL]

Juve lawyer, Cesare Zancone, said today that Juve won't be convinced with less than Serie A...

Even if we will be given Serie B without any deduction, the club will still make another appeal in front of TAR...

He asked for a similar treatment like Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina...

http://www.sports.it/it/cmc/calcio/200633/cmc_99865.html

 

[ReBeL]

Juve demand Serie A



Juventus President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli warned their legal challenge would continue unless the club’s top flight status is restored.

“We will go into the CONI Conciliation with great respect for the FIGC, but I am convinced that to be in Serie A with a points penalty is the correct destiny for Juventus.”

“I don’t even want to consider the idea we might not be playing in Serie A,” continued Cobolli Gigli. “However, if this deplorable situation plays out, then we’ll be forced to earn promotion. Our transfer market is not over yet. We’ll bring in a new central defender, but I won’t name him yet.”

Juventus seem confident of a large discount on their penalty, having removed guilty parties Luciano Moggi and Antonio Giraudo from the club, but the Federation insists there will be no whitewash.

“The FIGC does not want to and indeed cannot change the sanctions agreed by the Federal Court,” noted Commissioner Guido Rossi. “Anyone who thinks this is an end of season sale is sorely mistaken.”

Meanwhile, Juventus played out a 0-0 draw with fellow Serie B side Piacenza this evening. The World Cup winners and other internationals were out of bounds, so Didier Deschamps fielded a very young squad.

They impressed nonetheless and struck the woodwork with a long-range effort from Matteo Paro.

“We will try to get as many points as we can to achieve our objectives, which hopefully will be defined on Friday evening,” noted the Coach.

“We all hope it’ll be in Serie A, but we can only wait for the final decision. In any case, our attitude and hard work will not change, as we are preparing to be ready when the campaign kicks off.”

Channel 4