How odd it must be to be an Italian football fan at the moment! On the 9th July, Fabio Cannevaro hoisted the World Cup into the air, making Italy the second most successful team in World Cup final history, behind Brazil. However, seven players from the starting eleven were from the clubs involved in this massive affair (Lazio, AC Milan, Fiorentina, Juventus) and were facing a summer of uncertainty.
Earlier this year, wiretaps that had been part of the now infamous doping trial involving Juventus were released to the media. Those tapes revealed:
- the then Juventus general manager, Luciano Moggi, putting pressure on Pierluiggi Pairetto, the vice-chairman of Uefa's referees' commission, to appoint a referee who would be "favourable" to Juventus.
- that Moggi and former Juve chairman Antonio Giraudo allegedly detained referee Gianluca Paparesta and his two assistants in a changing room after Juve's 2-1 loss at Reggina in November 2004. They apparently berated the officials for not favouring Juve during the game.
- that Moggi leant on government minister Giuseppe Pisanu to permit matches to be played despite the imminent death of Pope John Paul II - Juventus were scheduled to play against Fiorentina, who had two players suspended and two injured.
In separate cases, Moggi was also being investigated in Naples and Rome for illegal gambling and the running of a business owned by his son, Alessandro.
Stefano Palazzi, FIGC's prosecutor, originally called for Juventus to be relegated two divisions and for AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio to be relegated one. He also recommended point deductions and that Juventus be stripped of their 2005 and 2006 titles. This, to me at least, seemed fair in light of the severity of the offences. Even if Juventus were at the centre of the web, the other clubs had colluded with them and were implicit in the transgressions.
FIGC handed out the initial punishments and the inevitable appeal followed. This was made all the more pressing by the 27th July deadline for the registration of clubs involved in European competition. Amid fears of a fan backlash and rioting, the appeal was rushed through and the punishments drastically reduced.
- Juventus: Stripped of 2005 and 2006 titles, out of 2006-2007 Champions League, relegated to Serie B, three home games behind closed doors, and deducted thirty points for 2006-2007 season. On appeal, the points deduction was reduced to seventeen.
- Fiorentina: Relegated to Serie B, out of 2006-2007 Champions League, two match stadium ban, deducted twelve points from 2006-2007 season. On appeal, the club were reinstated to Serie A, and the points deduction increased to nineteen.
- Lazio: Relegated to Serie B, out of 2006-2007 UEFA Cup, two match stadium ban, deducted seven points for 2006-2007 season. On appeal, the club were reinstated to Serie A, an dthe points deduction increased to eleven.
- AC Milan: Stay in Serie A, one match stadium ban, deducted fourty-four points from 2005-2006 season, fifteen points for 2006-2007 season. On appeal, the 2005-2006 points deduction was reduced to thirty, and the 2006-2007 points deduction was reduced to eight. With the penalties imposed on the other clubs, this crucially allows AC Milan to play in the 2006-2007 Champions League third qualifying round.
In my view, this was an opportunity missed. Italy is the county of conspiracy theories, in all walks of life, and none more so than football. The general consensus is that the big teams, and especially Juventus, get helping hands from referees (Alessandro Del Piero's clearly offside winner twenty minutes from time in La Vecchia Signora's 1-0 over Udinese in February 2006 has been often cited by Calcio fans with regards to the current scandal. It is also worth noting that Udinese's Sulley Muntari received a second yellow card for a non-existent foul in the thirty-seventh minute during the same match. The result put Juventus eight points clear of second placed Inter, rather than six if they had drawn). This would have been the perfect opportunity for FIFA, as world governing body, to make a statement of intent and clean up Serie A. The problem is that too much money is at stake, and FIFA do not want the world's press wondering about the content of their bank accounts.
So, despite all the media frenzy, the actual sentences handed out are relatively light, and might be reduced even further now the clubs have proceeded with an appeal to CONI, the Italian Olympic Committee. This is mandatory before any appeal can be lodged in the civil court. As a result of this, the start of the Italian season has been delayed by two weeks until September 9th. CONI hope to have a verdict by August 25th. Meanwhile, UEFA have allowed AC Milan to participate in the Champions League, a curious ruling when one considers that Marseille were banned for match fixing in 1995. Silvio Berlusconi pulling strings, perhaps?
Given that the corruption uncovered is so extensive, can the FIGC be expected to self-regulate this mess? The acting FIGC boss Guido Rossi has pushed through Serie A's biggest rule ever reform, ending the reign of Franco Carraro as FIGC's president (a huge change: Carrero having presided over doping problems, false passports, and tax skulduggery – whilst only ever doing what the big clubs wish), ending Adriano Galliani’s ludicrous conflict of interest via his positions with both Milan and the League, and even moving towards a new collective TV rights deal (rather than individual payments to each club). It is a brighter, cleaner and fairer Calcio – and all in the space of just three months. And yet still suspicions remain... Would any true professional want to play in a league where the sporting achievements are suspected of not actually being sporting?
