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The Italian Court of Appeal presented reasons why penalties for clubs involved in the football corruption scandal were reduced and stated that former Juventus director Luciano Moggi forced Milan, Lazio, and Fiorentina clubs to seek support.
After the appeals, the court reduced the initial punishment and reinstated Lazio and Fiorentina in Serie A, as well as decreased the points deficit for Milan and Juventus clubs. This decision received different assessments - some criticized the reduced penalties, while others questioned their motivations, but the uncertainties finally dissipated when the court provided explanations.
"Moggi was responsible for serious sports cheating, both in terms of time - especially during the 2004-05 season - and in his behavior, which was aimed at creating a structure capable of changing the fate of the tournament by influencing referees' decisions," explained President Pietro Santulli in a report released on Friday evening. - "Since his illegal creation was successful, he destroyed the public's trust in the fairness of the sports tournament. Metaphorically speaking, in order to remain in Serie A, it was necessary to give in to Moggi's desires."
Juventus was the only club left in Serie B after the Court of Appeal's ruling, and Santulli revealed why the Turin club received a much larger penalty than other clubs: "Moggi's and Antonio Giraudo's behavior cannot be compared to other directors (Andrea Della Valle and Sandro Mencucci from Fiorentina), whose actions did not have such a cause-and-effect relationship. Representatives of Juventus had complete and specific intentions to manipulate the tournament by influencing referees, whose decisions were influenced by Moggi and Giraudo."
Milan, Fiorentina, and Lazio argued that they merely reacted to the system created by Moggi, and the court partially accepted this theory. In the 117-page report, it was also explained why Lazio's relegation to Serie B was annulled: "None of the referees that President Claudio Lotito spoke with referee designator Paolo Bergamo were named in the investigation or punished for their involvement in three matches. Therefore, considering this as sports cheating is illogical."
Fiorentina was also reinstated in Serie A, albeit with a 19-point deficit, as there were no "convincing evidence" showing the club's direct responsibility, only indirect. Additionally, the appeal was made immediately after the match with Messina, where the "violet" team felt severely wronged by the referee.
Milan received the smallest penalty due to the actions of Leonardo Meani, who maintained relations with referees: "Although he is not a high-ranking official in the club, he certainly crossed the line trying to gain favor on his side. Meanwhile, Juventus directors undoubtedly caused great harm with their systematic and organized stability. This means that their position in this court process is incomparable to others."
Despite this, the 30-point penalty for the "Old Lady" in the Serie B league was reduced to 17 points, giving the club a chance to return to the top division within a year.
"It seems fair to consider the initial penalty in light of the important and prestigious sports history of this club, which was also enjoyed by the national team," continued the court report - "The resignation and removal of the club's responsible directors should also be a beneficial factor on this side."
However, Juventus is not satisfied with the court's ruling and has filed another appeal, which is expected to be reviewed on August 18. Whether other clubs will also file appeals is not yet reported, but it is likely that they will do so in seeking full justification.
