Italy's most successful soccer club Juventus has been relegated to the second division Serie B along with former champions Fiorentina and Lazio after a sports tribunal found the club guilty of offences in a match-fixing trial.
Source:
AFP, Reuters
15 Jul 2006 - 12:00 AM  UPDATED 22 Aug 2013 - 12:18 PM

Bringing to a head the biggest scandal in European soccer for decades, the tribunal also ruled that AC Milan, although they will stay in Serie A, would have their points from last season reduced by 44 points - ruling them out of next season's Champions League.

Juventus were stripped of their last two title wins - from 2006 and 2005.

All four clubs will start next season with points penalties with Juventus forced to begin their Serie B campaign with minus 30 points - almost ensuring they will spend at least two seasons in Serie B.

Milan will start their Serie A campaign next season with minus 15 points.

The clubs have the opportunity to appeal the decision.

Together the four clubs punished accounted for most of the players in the Italy team which on Sunday beat France to win the World Cup after a penalty shootout.

Many of the top players from Juventus may seek new clubs either in Italy or elsewhere in Europe.

Scandal broke in May

The scandal broke in May with the publication of intercepted telephone conversations between a former Juventus official and Italian soccer authorities discussing refereeing appointments.

As well as the clubs, the tribunal barred a number of club officials from the game for varying lengths.

Former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi, who was at the centre of the scandal, was banned from the game for five years as was the former chief executive of Juventus, Antonio Giraudo.

Former Federation president Franco Carraro was banned for four and a half years; Adrian Galliani, the AC Milan vice-president, was banned for one year; while Andrea Della Valle, the Fiorentina president, was suspended for four years and suffered a 30,000 euro fine.

Lazio president Claudio Lotito was banned for three years and six months and fined 40,000 euros.

A prosecutor who made charges had sought relegation to the third division Serie C for 29-times Italian champions Juventus.

The teams will have three days to appeal before a federal court of arbitration and a final decision will be given by July 24.

But officials from some of the Italian clubs have already said they will take court action, raising the prospect of a messy legal battle.

Reaction

Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli said he was stunned by the decision and that the club will appeal.

"It's incredible," he said. "We were expecting a fairer sentence. We don't understand how we can be excluded from the championship.

"Juve is the only team which has clearly shown a desire to change. To be in Serie B with a 30-point deduction is absolutely unacceptable."

"I am not bitter for myself, but for the teams implicated and for their supporters," Mr Moggi said.

"No match was fixed, no referees were favoured. It is why Juventus and the other clubs, but especially the fans, are frustrated by this sentence."