Calciopoli II

channel 4 reports:

Juventus could reportedly face more penalties for their part in Calciopoli after public prosecutors in Naples wrapped up their investigation.

The Italian giants were stripped of their last two League titles and thrown into Serie B with a nine-point penalty, but Bianconeri fans are fearing another summer on trial.

Naples prosecutors have finally closed their match-fixing probe after almost a year and have named 48 people who they suspect of wrongdoing, a standard step before possible criminal charges are issued.

It is now expected that their findings will be passed on to Saverio Borrelli, the head of the Italian Football Federation’s investigative team, who may opt to open a new sporting trial as a result.

It’s understood that a total of 39 games from the 2004-05 campaign are among a list of incriminated ties, 15 of which were not previously made known by the Naples set-up.

Among the fresh games under suspicion is a Juventus-Milan tie which ended 0-0 at the Stadio Delle Alpi from the season in question.

Calciopoli erupted last May when a number of intercepted telephone calls between leading figures of the Italian game and referees raised doubts over the legitimacy of the '04-05 championship.

Former Juventus general director Luciano Moggi was placed at the centre of the scandal after being accused of setting up a network in an attempt to influence the outcome of matches.

“The contacts took place via phone calls, thanks to secret sim cards that were provided by Moggi to designators Paolo Bergamo and Pier Luigi Pairetto, to Messina’s sporting director Mariano Fabiani, to referees Gianluca Paparesta, Salvatore Racalbuto, Stefano Cassarà, Antonio Dattilo, Paolo Bertini, Marco Gabriele, Tiziano Pieri, Massimo De Santis and Marcello Ambrosino,” read a note released by the Naples prosecutors.

As a result of their findings, the match officials and Messina – who have protested their innocence – could also be facing a sporting tribunal.

Messina chief Pietro Franza said: "We have always operated in absolute legal transparency. [Former sporting director] Mariano Fabiani will be cleared in a short time."

With regards to Juventus, it has been claimed that they may be asked to face more FIGC charges depending on what Borrelli finds in the reports.

But the Turin giants are remaining calm about the situation. “Until we have something concrete in our possession then it is not right to say anything,” said club lawyer Luigi Chiappero.

However, President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli (pictured) quickly shot down claims that his outfit may face further penalisation for either this season or next.

“We have to make it clear that Calciopoli didn’t start with Juventus,” he argued. “We’ve already paid the price for it, perhaps too much.

“After all, the decision to take away the 2006 Scudetto from us and hand it to Inter is still incomprehensible today.”

Lazio, Milan, Reggina, Fiorentina and Arezzo were the other clubs punished by the FIGC for their part in Calciopoli, as well as numerous club, FIGC and refereeing officials.

Only one referee, Massimo De Santis, was found guilty of misconduct in the sporting courts.
====================================================
am i reading this right?
1- how can we be a victum and perp at the same time?
if milan was involved...if we knew what was going on, WE WOULDNT LET THEM CHEAT AGAINST US!!!!

restore our 8pts for this season NOW and strip inter of the 06 scudetto and a public apololigy should suffice.

or give us the other titles?

Trust me... the authorities will not want to open up this can of worms again. Everyone under the Italian sun including those doing handling of justice have their character soiled. A hard bullet to bite, but I did warn all Milanisti about Calcio-Poli from the outset. I dont think the Milan fans even at the cost of Juve and Inter want to risk returning to this sad affair.

_)_ juveeee

_l_ juveee

who have wallpers with ac milan? my yahoo messenger id is sport_4all.i'm romanian ... please give me

Is this a case of investigating the investigators now ?

Originally Posted by Miss S.

Is this a case of investigating the investigators now ?

Well the particulars of it is that the case has been settled upon already. Judgement has been made we got screwed with Juve (though not as bad as Juve). Anything else these investigators come up with is all after the fact on the ruling. Otherwise it is setting a dangerous precedent in wise jurisprudence regarding "double dipping". Do we punish clubs more for things that already has been established and ruled upon? Of course this is Italy and Serie A... anything can happen.

I guess that is why I am confused, punishment was dealt, end of story. Which is why is only makes sense that now the questionability is lying on the investigators. That is ridiculous how can they penalize teams again ? Reading the article sounds as if they are going to try just that, and if you ask me THAT sounds suspect in itself ........no ? Why now ?

These cases may be of the criminal phase. The earlier rulings were of the civil matter. So the earlier involved non-criminal judgements, this new phase can get those involved sent to jail. Of course their explanation of the differences of the earlier case and this one is quite blurred.

hmm, I doubt much will come of this now. Juve have already been punished and to be further punished now wouldn't make sense.

Individuals on the other hand may get punished, which is fair if found guilty.

It's not at all shocking Juve-Milan match was called into question, as some of the refereeing decisions in that match were just awful (such as Crespo getting quite clearly pulled down when he went for a tap in).

However, despite it all, I doubt any great event will take place like last summer. Oh and I doubt very much a certain group of "innocents" will be involved either.

Good news though is I think I read on the official site that we've been cleared of all charges with regards to the finance irregularities stuff, though am not sure.

Thanks for explaining "civil" to me Kui ....lol
The time line gives the investigation a very amateurish and incompetent appearance. I hope that this phase is both effective and judicious .....this has carried on long enough. Just let them play the game. . . .

Well its awfully strange why they would do the civil phase of Calcio-Poli before the criminal phase. Dont you think? That's almost like suing OJ Simpson and his estates in a civil court before actually putting him on trial for the charge of murder at a criminal court.

An agendum of sorts perhaps ?

the goltv website explains it a little better:
News
04-13-2007
Italian football scandal takes new twist
A corruption scandal which rocked Italy's Serie A to its foundations last season has taken a new twist after public prosecutors in Naples closed their investigation by making fresh accusations.

Italian giants Juventus were stripped of their last two league titles and demoted to Serie B with a penalty of nine points after being found guilty of match-fixing in last summer's scandal.

AC Milan, Lazio, Fiorentina and Reggina were also implicated in the affair, but escaped with only points penalties for the beginning of the 2006-2007 Serie A season.

On Thursday prosecutors, this time dealing with the purely legal side of the affair, named 48 people, five of whom were not questioned in the initial investigation, they suspect of wrongdoing.

Another club has also now been implicated. Serie A side Messina is suspected of being involved in match-fixing, although they have flatly rejected any accusations of involvement.

'We have nothing to do with this scandal. And we have always operated with complete legality and tranparency,' Messina president Pietro Franza was quoted as saying by Italian news agency Ansa.

Former Juventus general director Luciano Moggi, who stood accused of setting up a network in an attempt to influence the outcome of matches, remains a key suspect as well as Juventus official Antonio Giraudo.

Twenty-five referees and linesemen, 18 of whom are still working in the Italian league, also remain under suspicion according to prosecutors.

Italy's national referees' commission reacted to the news by suspending two referees and two linesmen who were supposed to officiate at second division matches this weekend.

Prosecutors also pointed the finger at a total of 39 matches they suspected of being fixed, 15 more than was initially thought in last summer's investigation, and which were all played in 2004 and 2005.

Public prosecutor Filippo Beatrice told AFP Friday that prosecutors would be aiming to act on their most recent investigation.

'We're hoping to be able to bring this to court between now and June,' he said.

'There are nearly 40 suspect matches (as opposed to 19 initially). The investigation has led us to confirm that certain top club officials were in regular telephone contact with referees and top officials with the Italian federation.'

According to prosecutors, some of the unsavoury acts carried out by corrupt referees included handing out yellow cards to certain players, leading at times to their unavailability for future matches, especially against Juventus.

Naples prosecutors also pointed at a number of questionable penalty or off-side decisions made by referees, made to favour the teams implicated in the scandal.

A number of referees, linesmen and other sports officials were sanctioned for their part in last year's scandal although only one referee, Massimo De Santis, was found guilty of misconduct in the sporting courts.

Last year's affair shed light on the underbelly of football in Italy, however it also revealed the difficuties of the authorities to hand out sanctions in the absence of concrete proof.


ROME (AFP) © 2007 AFP
==================================
here we go again?