Updated news about the Scandal [DO NOT POST COMMENTS] (15 Viewers)

[Zé Tahir]

By Nadia Carminati - Created on 21 Sep 2006

Jean-Michel Blanc is confident that Juventus' appeal against their 17-point penalty will be successful.

The Bianconeri were relegated to Serie B for the start of this season for their involvement in the Italian match-fixing scandal.

They also began their campaign 17 points in arrears, but are hoping for leniency when they take their appeal to arbitration with the Italian Olympic Committee on October 11.

"We expect a sensible reduction of the penalty," said chief officer Blanc. "We have been waiting for this day."

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is confident that Juve will be back in the top flight next season.

"Until now it has been good for us to think the penalty will remain the same for the whole season," he said.

"We achieved a winning mentality and this will allow us to achieve our target."

He added: "Serie B is an interesting experience because there is more humanity."

-Sky Sports

 

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[ReBeL]

Judgement day looming for match-fixing Serie A clubs


ROME (AFP) - Four Serie A clubs found guilty of match-fixing will begin their final appeals against their punishments this week.

Juventus, AC Milan and Lazio will have their appeals heard on Wednesday and Fiorentina on Thursday.

Despite growing pressure on the judges for a quick decision with the season already under way, the appeal verdicts may not be known for as long as 15 days, Italian news agency ANSA reported on Monday.

According to Italian media reports all the clubs are likely to see their sentences reduced and rival teams are already up in arms.

"It would be scandalous if the sports judiciary cave in to psychological pressure and reduce the previous sentences," Aurelio De Laurentis, president of Serie B club Napoli, told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

"It would be absurd to change justice after the season has begun."

President of Serie B club Genoa, Ezio Preziosi, agreed with De Laurentis.

"The match-fixing sentences need to stay as they are so as not to delegitimise the sports justice system," said the man whose team were denied promotion to Serie A last year for match-fixing.

Juventus coach Didier Deschamps insisted his club - who were also stripped of the league titles they won in 2004-05 and 2005-06 - deserve a lighter sentence.

"I hope to see the right decision made because it's not fair as it stands," said the former France international, a World Cup winner in 1998.

"The disparity in the sentencing is scandalous."

AFP

 

[ReBeL]

It seems the scandal will restart again for 2005/2006 season this time...

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Italian ref to be quizzed over corruption claims


ROME - Former referee Mario Mazzoleni is to be questioned by the Italian football federation (FIGC) after claiming he was ordered to help Lazio in a league match last season.

Mazzoleni claims Maurizio Mattei, who used to be in charge of selecting referees for Serie A matches, told him to give decisions in favour of Lazio when the Rome club played at home to Cagliari in the 2005-06 season.

Mazzoleni - who sent off two Lazio players in a 1-1 draw - said his refusal to cooperate effectively ended his career as a referee as he was not selected to officiate a match again.

Mazzoleni will be interviewed by Francesco Saverio Borrelli, head of the FIGC's match-fixing investigation, on Monday.

Up until now the Italian match-fixing scandal has only involved matches in the 2004-05 season.

AFP

 

[JCK]

I will make another reminder.

This thread is NOT for comments, it is just for posting articles.

I have removed a few comments and I really don't like doing that.

 

[ReBeL]

Juventus confident on ruling


Juventus lawyer Riccardo Montanaro has expressed his confidence ahead of Wednesday's appeal hearing as the Old Lady seeks to have its points deduction reduced.

"We are expecting them to look at the case fairly," said Montanaro told Radio 101. "We expect a judge who is capable of reconsidering sporting justice decisions."

Anyway Genoa and Napoli presidents affirmed that a penalty reduction for Juve wouldn't be a right thing. "Their evaluation are absolutely personal", the lawyer added.

Eurosport

 

[ReBeL]

Matarrese: I expect troubled days ahead


MILAN (Reuters) - Juventus and the four other clubs implicated in Italy's match-fixing scandal have their last chance at getting their punishments reduced when the final verdicts are made by an arbitration tribunal this week.

The tribunal, hosted by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) meets on Wednesday with the decision expected by Thursday at the latest.

Antonio Matarrese, president of the Italian Football League said he expected troubled days ahead regardless of the outcome of the arbitration.
"However it goes there is going to be a row and I expect turbulence," he said.

Reuters

 

[ReBeL]

According to Monday's Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus stands to have its penalty reduced by five-to-eight points, Fiorentina by six-to-nine points, Lazio by four-to-six points and Milan two-to-four points.

Sentences may not be handed down immediately and the board could require more hearings.

"We're optimistic," Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli said. "We're expecting understanding and justice."

Juventus withdrew its plans to appeal to an ordinary court in August after receiving "signals of willingness" from sports officials to conclude the situation fairly.

"There is no agreement, just acknowledgment of the steps Juventus has taken," Cobolli Gigli said.

Juventus is 4-1-0 through five games in Serie B and currently has minus-four points.

Genoa leads the second division with 12 points, followed by Mantova, Napoli and Brescia with 11 each.

Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentis said it would be "absurd to change a sentence after a few games."

"If it was done while the market was still open, teams could have been able to make provisions and reinforce themselves," De Laurentis said. "Doing it now would be against every type of consistency and fairness. But anything can happen in this world."

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said his team will do well enough this season to gain promotion back into Serie A "no matter what happens Wednesday."

"We're going to get back in Serie A on the field," Buffon said.

Associated Press

 

[ReBeL]

Blanc Hopes For Penalty Reduction


Juventus administrator Jean-Claude Blanc is in optimistic mood ahead of a hearing on Wednesday which could see the club's punishment for their involvement in Italy's match-fixing trial reduced.

"We are serene ahead of the sentence," said Blanc. "We have a big handicap, having been demoted to Serie B and given a 17-point punishment, but just as we respected the previous sentence, we will also respect tomorrow's (Wednesday's) verdict.

"However, we do hope to have a fair sentence which will give the players the necessary condition to have a more acceptable challenge."

Juve, Lazio and AC Milan will have their arguments heard on Wednesday while Fiorentina will present their case on Thursday.

SportingLife

 

[ReBeL]

Rossi "expects nothing"


Lazio boss Delio Rossi is approaching Thursday's appeal hearing with the Italian Olympic Committee cautiously, and is "expecting nothing" from it.

The Biancocelesti were docked 11 points before the season started for their part in the Calciopoli scandal but are now, along with fellow Serie A clubs Milan, Fiorentina and Juventus, appealing the verdicts.

There is hope that their points penalties will be reduced, but Rossi is keeping an open mind to the outcome.

"I ask nothing and I expect nothing," Rossi said. "If the situation changes, I'll take note, but I have no expectations."

Rossi continued: "I don't want my players to think someone will give us a hand. I only know that after having won a UEFA Cup place last season, we started this season with a penalty of 11 points.

"Should something happen, I'll be pleased, but at this moment I expect nothing.

"It's useless to have illusions or to give illusions to someone else. We'll carry on as normal, then if few points come our way, then we will take them with pleasure."

Eurosport

 

[ReBeL]

Juventus confident of positive appeal verdict


ROME (Reuters) - Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli said on Wednesday he was confident the club would have a match-fixing sentence reduced on appeal.

"We expect a substantial reduction of the penalty," Gigli told reporters after a two-hour appeals hearing at Italy's sports governing body CONI.

"The annulment of 17 penalty points? That's just a hope," Gigli was quoted as saying on the Web site of Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

Reuters

 

[ReBeL]

Contradictions between news agencies about the timing of the verdict


AFP: Despite growing pressure on the judges for a quick decision with the season already under way, the appeal verdicts are not expected to be known until the end of the month.

Reuters: A decision is expected by Thursday at the latest.

 

[boekhorst]

Arbitration

The hearing at the ‘Camera di Arbitrato’ of the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee), began at 9.30 this morning and lasted around an hour and an half. On leaving the building, our chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli declared himself satisfied: “We are expecting a substantial reduction of the penalty. It went as we expected. I’m satisfied as it was a very fruitful discussion during which both ourselves and our counterparts were able to get our arguments across. We’re feeling confident so I’m optimistic, even if there won’t be a decision before the end of the month”.

 

[ReBeL]

Milan want Inter’s Scudetto


Milan’s lawyer Leandro Cantamessa believes that the Rossoneri deserve a reduction in their points penalty – and the 2005-06 Scudetto.

“One of the main lines in our defence is the fact that we don’t understand Adriano Galliani’s ban,” said Cantamessa after the hearing.

“The only certainty I have is that Milan are innocent and that is why I have asked for our eight-point deduction to be cancelled.

“I believe we deserve a reduction, but I can confirm that we are not considering an appeal to the TAR civil justice. We respect the rules and we knew what we were going to face.

“In any case, who told you that we have not asked for the last Scudetto to be reassigned to us?

“We will accept any decision. I have been dealing with sporting justice for 22 years, the only difference in this case is the very unpleasant atmosphere that was created by the media,” concluded the newly-elected Lega Calcio Counsellor.

In the meantime, Christian Vieri is planning to file a complaint against his former club Inter and is set to ask for the Nerazzurri to be stripped of the last Scudetto for ethical reasons.

The striker was disappointed after discovering he was spied on by the Via Durini club and is willing to get revenge on them by asking the FIGC to reassign the 2005-06 title.

Channel 4

 

[ReBeL]

Lazio lawyer Giammichele Gentile is optimistic about the Rome club's chances of a softer penalty.

"We are convinced there is a strong possibility that our penalty will be wiped out. We are sure that everyone will be satisfied," he said.

AFP

 

[Ramin]

..

Fiorentina have threatened to appeal to the civil justice court if their 17-point reduction is not cancelled by the CONI Arbitration Court.

The Viola presented their case on Thursday – following Juventus, Lazio and Milan’s hearings the day before – in an attempt to see their Calciopoli punishments reduced.

“Fiorentina are not guilty of any wrongdoing, that is why we do not want to hear the word discount – we want the punishment to be cancelled,” said Alberto Bruni, the club’s lawyer.

“I have trust in the court of arbitration and we gave them all the documents we prepared.

“For the first time I felt that I was facing people who were willing to listen to us, as this had never happened in front of the CAF and the Federal Court.

“If our request is not granted, we are willing to continue our battle and cannot exclude that we will appeal to the TAR civil court.

“I hope that will not be the case, but we are ready to fight if needs be.”

The court is expected to hand out the verdicts by the end of the month and rumours suggest that all the deficits might be decreased.

Juventus and Milan are set to receive a 10 and three-point reductions respectively, whereas Lazio and Fiorentina could be granted a five and eight-point reduction to the penalty inflicted in July.

Ch.4

 

[ReBeL]

9 sought for fraud at Lazio


Rome prosecutors issued arrest warrants on Friday for nine people, including the former Italy striker Giorgio Chinaglia, on charges of extortion and insider trading at the Serie A club Lazio.

Chinaglia, who helped the Rome- based club win its first Italian title in 1974, is wanted in connection with an alleged attempt to influence the price of Lazio shares over the last six months, the prosecutor's office said in Rome.

Chinaglia, 59, who also was once Lazio's president, was allegedly trying to overthrow the current president, Claudio Lotito, in a takeover bid backed by Hungarian investors, according to Italian media reports.

Lotito is being investigated by prosecutors in Milan in a separate case of insider trading, involving the sale of Lazio stock in 2005, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

Lazio is also embroiled in Italy's match-fixing scandal, along with Juventus, AC Milan and Fiorentina.

Chinaglia, who lives in the United States and played with Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer on the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League in the 1970s, could not be reached for comment. Nor was anyone at Lazio available to comment.

The police said in a statement that they had investigated a 34 percent jump in the value of Lazio shares earlier this year after false information was circulated about a possible bid for the club.

Rome prosecutors started an inquiry in March involving Chinaglia, whom they suspected of claiming to represent a Hungarian company that sought a controlling stake in the club, a judicial source said.

But the company, Richter Gedeon, denied that it was interested in buying into the club.

"The warrants regard communications, which lacked any basis in fact, which were circulated in the early months of this year by a few individuals about how a foreign group was interested in buying a controlling stake in the club," the police statement said.

The authorities said five of the arrest warrants were for insider trading and four involved fans whom the police believe tried to intimidate Lotito into selling the club.

Reuters & Associated Press

 

[Mark]

CONI cuts Calciopoli penalties
Friday 27 October, 2006
Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina have had their Calciopoli penalties reduced, but Milan remain with an eight-point handicap.

The Biancocelesti and Bianconeri had the biggest discount, as both have had eight points handed back to them after tonight’s verdict from the CONI Arbitration.

Fiorentina were hoping for a substantial discount on their original 19-point penalty, but it has merely been cut to –15.

Milan’s appeal failed, as their eight-point handicap will stand for the 2006-07 campaign.

The clubs lodged their appeals in front of the commission on October 11 and 12, but a decision was only formally announced this evening.

The original Calciopoli trial had inflicted more severe handicaps on the sides, as Juventus, Fiorentina and Lazio were demoted to Serie B with penalties of 30, 12 and seven points respectively. Milan stayed in the top flight with a 15-point penalty.

These verdicts were cut on appeal so that only Juve remained in the Second Division with a 17-point penalty. Fiorentina and Lazio returned to Serie A, starting from –19 and –11, while Milan went back into the Champions League through the preliminary round and began the campaign from –8 points.

This could well be the final act in the Calciopoli trial that has dragged on since the summer, amid wiretapping scandals, match-fixing allegations and claims of pressure put on referees to favour certain sides.

Yet there may be more on the horizon, as clubs still unhappy with their lot could in theory appeal to the TAR tribunal. As it is outside the jurisdiction of the sporting courts, this civil action would infuriate the Federation and might earn new penalties for the sides involved.

 

[ReBeL]

Comments on the arbitration

AC Milan's eight point penalty was untouched by the arbitration tribunal and the club said in a statement: "The decision taken does not deserve any comment from AC Milan".

Juve said in a statement that the decision "recognises, at least in part, the enormous effort and the spirit of sacrifice demonstrated by the club in order to renew our internal structure and promote the values of sport to the benefit of all Italian football".

Reuters

 

[ReBeL]

Fiorentina's Reaction


Fiorentina were irritated by the outcome, as their 19-point penalty was cut by just four points.

“Fiorentina and Juve were the teams most penalised by the original trials, now we have to see what exactly happened in this appeal, but I can say we certainly deserved a bigger discount,” said ex-Viola legend Giancarlo Antognoni.

The Viola are the only side likely to pursue their legal battle through the TAR civil courts.

“It doesn’t seem as if four points are a lot in the grand scheme of things. Will we go to the TAR? I don’t know, you’d have to ask Diego Della Valle.”

Channel 4

 

[Buphs]

http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Primo_...iniziato.shtml