The Hindu : Sport / Football : Juventus, others to appeal

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Thursday, Jul 20, 2006

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Juventus, others to appeal

MILAN: Juventus is appealing its demotion to Serie B and the loss of its last two Serie A titles in Italy's match-fixing scandal.

Juventus filed an appeal late on Monday, arguing that the sanctions were excessive, club spokesman Roberto Patriarca said on Tuesday.

Lazio, Fiorentina and Milan also confirmed that they would appeal their punishments. The hearing on the appeals will begin on Saturday, the Italian soccer federation said.

An Italian sports tribunal had relegated Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina to the second division. AC Milan escaped demotion but was given a 15-point penalty and banned from European play for the upcoming season. Juventus was handed a 30-point penalty, Fiorentina 12 points and Lazio seven. The sports tribunal also sanctioned 19 former officials and referees for influencing the outcome of matches.

Tougher sentencing

Meanwhile, prosecutor Stefano Palazzi will resubmit his original recommendation for tougher sentencing, the soccer federation confirmed.

Palazzi wants Juventus demoted to Serie C; AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio demoted to Serie B with larger points reductions — three for AC Milan, and 15 each for Lazio and Fiorentina.

Prosecutors in Naples, Rome, Parma and Turin are conducting separate criminal probes into sports fraud, illegal betting and false bookkeeping — but the indictments, if any, could take months. Fans have been protesting against the punishments. Hundreds of Fiorentina supporters blocked 60 trains carrying 24,000 passengers on Monday, prompting the club to ask fans to behave.

``The truth will be acknowledged soon,'' Fiorentina said in a statement on its website.

Protest by fans

AC Milan fans protested on Tuesday evening in front of the club's headquarters in Milan, shouting: ``We want to know what's going on.''

Earlier in the day, a fan hung a banner near the prosecutors' offices reading: ``Borrelli executioner: Get your hands off Milan,'' a reference to lead federation investigator Francesco Saverio Borrelli, who formerly was a Milan anti-corruption prosecutor. — AP

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