Post by onenedkelly on May 19, 2006 13:10:57 GMT
Business side of football has effected the game in many ways and this is just scandalous.
STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN OF ACTIONS OF THE MAFIA
The match-fixing scandal which has engulfed Italian football has stunned fans across Europe.
It is an extraordinary tale involving wiretaps, illicit meetings and even allegations of locking referees in dressing rooms.
BBC Sport spoke to Italian sport journalist Giancarlo Galavotti to unravel the tangled web which has shaken Italian football.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
Even the old women going to the market in the morning want to read about this - it is astonishing
Italian sport journalist Giancarlo Galavotti
Some of the biggest clubs and individuals in Italian football have found themselves at the centre of match-fixing allegations.
The scandal revolves around transcripts of phone taps which appear to show key figures in Italian football putting pressure on referees to favour certain clubs.
The allegations were uncovered as prosecutors investigated doping allegations at Juventus, Italy's most popular and successful club.
That probe, which resulted in club doctor Riccardo Agricola being found guilty of administering drugs to players in the mid-90s, resulted in phone taps being ordered by Turin prosecutors.
As a result, Juventus - winners of their 29th Serie A title on 14 May - have been implicated alongside AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio.
Juventus' general manager Luciano Moggi, who resigned after Juve secured the title, is at the centre of the scandal although he has protested his innocence.
Italian football federation (FIGC) president Franco Carraro and vice-president Innocenzo Mazzini have also resigned and the pair, along with Juventus chairman Antonio Giraudo, are among those under formal investigation.
Galavotti, who writes for Italian daily sport newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, told BBC Sport: "Our sales have rocketed by about 50,000 copies a day since this happened.
"Even old women going to the market in the morning want to read about this. It is astonishing."
WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS?
Prosecutors are investigating Moggi and Giraudo for allegedly detaining referee Gianluca Paparesta and his two assistants in a changing room after Juve's 2-1 loss at Reggina in November 2004.
They are alleged to have berated the officials for not favouring Juve during the game.
In another transcript published by the Italian media, Moggi speaks to Pierluiggi Pairetto, the vice-chairman of Uefa's referees' commission, putting pressure on him to appoint a referee who will be favourable to Juve.
The title celebrations of Juve's fans may be short-lived
And on Tuesday Italian newspapers printed wiretaps of calls Moggi made to government minister Giuseppe Pisanu.
The Juve boss is alleged to have tried to persuade Pisanu to give the go-ahead to games despite the imminent death of Pope John Paul II - Juventus were scheduled to play against Fiorentina, who had two players suspended and two injured.
The game was cancelled when the Pope died and Pisanu, who is alleged to have asked for help for a lower-division team in his local area in return, has angrily denied any wrong-doing.
The troubles for Moggi do not stop there - he is under separate investigations with prosecutors in Naples and Rome looking into illegal gambling and the operation of a management company owned by his son Alessandro.
Meanwhile, Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, still the world's most expensive 'keeper, is being probed over allegations he gambled on matches - strictly forbidden in Italy.
WHO IS LUCIANO MOGGI?
The power of Moggi was already legendary 12 years ago
Galavotti
Moggi has been with Juventus for 12 years and is one of Italian football's most powerful men.
Galavotti said Moggi had a formidable reputation.
"He has been considered as a sort of godfather of Italian football. When he joined Juventus 12 years ago, he was very sought after," he told BBC Sport.
"Until very recently Inter Milan were hoping to secure his services.
"The power of Moggi was already legendary 12 years ago, although not because of an ability to manipulate referees - that would have been too much.
"But he was considered to be ruler of the transfer market. It was commonly felt there wouldn't be a transfer in Italy without Moggi's consent."
HOW SERIOUS IS THIS?
Next season's Serie A could be 16 teams instead of 20 - and may not start until October
Galavotti
These events could prove even more serious than the events of 1980 when AC Milan and Lazio were demoted to Serie B following an investigation into match-fixing.
Galavotti said: "If it is proven that a club executive was successful in procuring illicit advantages in a match, that would be very serious.
"It might not just be demotion to Serie B - it could be a matter of how many divisions. They could go even below Serie B."
Juventus, who are owned by the powerful Agnelli family that also control car manufacturers Fiat, have qualified for next season's Champions League and Lazio for next season's Uefa Cup but both would be kicked out should the allegations be proven.
That would have a huge financial impact - Juve's shares had fallen by 20% by the time they were suspended on Monday - and there are other implications for Serie A after former senator Guido Rossi was named as "extraordinary commissioner" of the FIGC with emergency powers to reform the game.
Galavotti said: "His powers will be almost absolute. He could decide that next season's Serie A could be 16 teams instead of 20.
"Also, people say the state of Italian football is such that it is virtually impossible for the next season to start in August. Some say it will start as late as October."
HOW HAVE PEOPLE REACTED?
Moggi and Giraudo say they are victims and that things will be clarified to show just how innocent they are
Galavotti
Needless to say, fans, media and even those who do not normally follow football have been stunned.
Galavotti said: "I would compare it to the fall of the fascist regime in Italy. When it fell, everybody was more or less compromised, because it could not have stood in power for 20 years by itself.
"People would not admit to being fascist, but they were concealing or pretending that they never were, switching sides with alarming ease.
"There are plenty who are saying that nothing has been proven and nobody has been indicted of anything yet.
"Moggi and Giraudo say they are victims and that things will be clarified to show just how innocent they are.
"But the gut feeling among the vast majority of Italians is that this is scandal the likes of which there hasn't been before, at least in European football."
STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN OF ACTIONS OF THE MAFIA
The match-fixing scandal which has engulfed Italian football has stunned fans across Europe.
It is an extraordinary tale involving wiretaps, illicit meetings and even allegations of locking referees in dressing rooms.
BBC Sport spoke to Italian sport journalist Giancarlo Galavotti to unravel the tangled web which has shaken Italian football.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
Even the old women going to the market in the morning want to read about this - it is astonishing
Italian sport journalist Giancarlo Galavotti
Some of the biggest clubs and individuals in Italian football have found themselves at the centre of match-fixing allegations.
The scandal revolves around transcripts of phone taps which appear to show key figures in Italian football putting pressure on referees to favour certain clubs.
The allegations were uncovered as prosecutors investigated doping allegations at Juventus, Italy's most popular and successful club.
That probe, which resulted in club doctor Riccardo Agricola being found guilty of administering drugs to players in the mid-90s, resulted in phone taps being ordered by Turin prosecutors.
As a result, Juventus - winners of their 29th Serie A title on 14 May - have been implicated alongside AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio.
Juventus' general manager Luciano Moggi, who resigned after Juve secured the title, is at the centre of the scandal although he has protested his innocence.
Italian football federation (FIGC) president Franco Carraro and vice-president Innocenzo Mazzini have also resigned and the pair, along with Juventus chairman Antonio Giraudo, are among those under formal investigation.
Galavotti, who writes for Italian daily sport newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, told BBC Sport: "Our sales have rocketed by about 50,000 copies a day since this happened.
"Even old women going to the market in the morning want to read about this. It is astonishing."
WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS?
Prosecutors are investigating Moggi and Giraudo for allegedly detaining referee Gianluca Paparesta and his two assistants in a changing room after Juve's 2-1 loss at Reggina in November 2004.
They are alleged to have berated the officials for not favouring Juve during the game.
In another transcript published by the Italian media, Moggi speaks to Pierluiggi Pairetto, the vice-chairman of Uefa's referees' commission, putting pressure on him to appoint a referee who will be favourable to Juve.
The title celebrations of Juve's fans may be short-lived
And on Tuesday Italian newspapers printed wiretaps of calls Moggi made to government minister Giuseppe Pisanu.
The Juve boss is alleged to have tried to persuade Pisanu to give the go-ahead to games despite the imminent death of Pope John Paul II - Juventus were scheduled to play against Fiorentina, who had two players suspended and two injured.
The game was cancelled when the Pope died and Pisanu, who is alleged to have asked for help for a lower-division team in his local area in return, has angrily denied any wrong-doing.
The troubles for Moggi do not stop there - he is under separate investigations with prosecutors in Naples and Rome looking into illegal gambling and the operation of a management company owned by his son Alessandro.
Meanwhile, Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, still the world's most expensive 'keeper, is being probed over allegations he gambled on matches - strictly forbidden in Italy.
WHO IS LUCIANO MOGGI?
The power of Moggi was already legendary 12 years ago
Galavotti
Moggi has been with Juventus for 12 years and is one of Italian football's most powerful men.
Galavotti said Moggi had a formidable reputation.
"He has been considered as a sort of godfather of Italian football. When he joined Juventus 12 years ago, he was very sought after," he told BBC Sport.
"Until very recently Inter Milan were hoping to secure his services.
"The power of Moggi was already legendary 12 years ago, although not because of an ability to manipulate referees - that would have been too much.
"But he was considered to be ruler of the transfer market. It was commonly felt there wouldn't be a transfer in Italy without Moggi's consent."
HOW SERIOUS IS THIS?
Next season's Serie A could be 16 teams instead of 20 - and may not start until October
Galavotti
These events could prove even more serious than the events of 1980 when AC Milan and Lazio were demoted to Serie B following an investigation into match-fixing.
Galavotti said: "If it is proven that a club executive was successful in procuring illicit advantages in a match, that would be very serious.
"It might not just be demotion to Serie B - it could be a matter of how many divisions. They could go even below Serie B."
Juventus, who are owned by the powerful Agnelli family that also control car manufacturers Fiat, have qualified for next season's Champions League and Lazio for next season's Uefa Cup but both would be kicked out should the allegations be proven.
That would have a huge financial impact - Juve's shares had fallen by 20% by the time they were suspended on Monday - and there are other implications for Serie A after former senator Guido Rossi was named as "extraordinary commissioner" of the FIGC with emergency powers to reform the game.
Galavotti said: "His powers will be almost absolute. He could decide that next season's Serie A could be 16 teams instead of 20.
"Also, people say the state of Italian football is such that it is virtually impossible for the next season to start in August. Some say it will start as late as October."
HOW HAVE PEOPLE REACTED?
Moggi and Giraudo say they are victims and that things will be clarified to show just how innocent they are
Galavotti
Needless to say, fans, media and even those who do not normally follow football have been stunned.
Galavotti said: "I would compare it to the fall of the fascist regime in Italy. When it fell, everybody was more or less compromised, because it could not have stood in power for 20 years by itself.
"People would not admit to being fascist, but they were concealing or pretending that they never were, switching sides with alarming ease.
"There are plenty who are saying that nothing has been proven and nobody has been indicted of anything yet.
"Moggi and Giraudo say they are victims and that things will be clarified to show just how innocent they are.
"But the gut feeling among the vast majority of Italians is that this is scandal the likes of which there hasn't been before, at least in European football."