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Do you really think the verdict handed out by the Italian Federal Appeal Commission on Friday evening reflects the true scandalous activities happening in Football?

The match-fixing-scandal saw Juventus relegated to Serie B plus a 30-point starting deficit next season and stripping off their league titles they won in the last two seasons, Fiorentina and Lazio relegated with 13 point deficit, and AC Milan with a 30 point deficit though luckily remains in Serie A but was given a 44 point deduction from last season.

The decision means Juve and Milan are not allowed to play in the Champions League next season, and Lazio is out of the UEFA Cup.

There are some short-term winners though where Internazionale and Roma gains automatic qualification to Champions League, Chievo and Palermo going into the qualifiers for the tournament, Livorno, Parma and Empoli goes to the UEFA Cup, and Lecce, Messina, and Treviso avoids relegation to Serie B.

These short-term wins does not mean anything though to the overall health of football which has a lasting and pounding damage to the teams involved, the leagues, the people and most importantly the fans. It threatens to uncover more unethical and illegal activities hidden in the eyes of the public and of the governing body, not only in Italy but probably in different leagues as well.

With all the embarrassing penalties drilled down on them it is natural for these teams to appeal otherwise it would send out the message to the world how truly guilty they are. Or could it be that they feel they are not the only ones who does such match-fixing illegalities and that all teams should be investigated and penalized as well? It’s natural that the culprits or depth of this activity is well hidden known only to the highest officials of each club.

To appease the fans and the public, concerned people stressed their disagreement and as expected would appeal their case. Amongst them are:

Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli was very angry with the decision and has this to say: This verdict is unheard of, we expected a balanced sentence not only in form but in substance, and our expectations were different ones. We could have expected relegation to the second division but to be also handed a 30 point deduction is almost like relegation to the third division. We will appeal.

Fiorentina on the other hand says: Fiorentina take note of the verdict given by the Federal Appeal Commission but retains it profoundly unjust. Fiorentina wishes to reiterate the absolute correctness of the club and of their own executives. Fiorentina will fight with every means possible so that the truth of the facts is revealed.

It would be interesting what this truth of the facts is. Maybe one club will be banned forever but instead they divided the penalties among them? To continue…

Milan counters the verdict with: AC Milan retains the decision by the CAF of extraordinary injustice. We will appeal once the documents of the verdict will be available, with the certainty that the procedure will be radically modified by appeal.

Aside from the team, Former Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani is given a one-year suspension from all football activities, Lazio president Claudio Lotito banned for three years and Fiorentina president, Andrea Della Valle, a four-year hiatus and former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi suspended for five years hearing his conversation with the referee in charge of appointments of officials during the 2004/05 season.
Luciano Moggi says that he is not saddened for himself but for the team involved and for their fans. Really? Could it be that you are the beneficiary of the fattest paycheck among you and you could afford not to feel sorry for yourself?

Claudio Lotito was on fire and adds: I think this sentence is provisional as it’s based on a theorem which is completely ridiculous. I will not make any decisions until a final sentence is given.

Also, official RefereeMassimo De Santis and former FIGC president Franco Carraro were suspended from football for four-and-a-half years and four-years respectively.

The disgrace, compromised integrity of the sport and deceived people are so big than these teams combined. It might be that the Federation only knew the overview of what’s happening; but still, the punishment they gave out is smaller than what should be done today to uplift and grow the sport after what these people have done.

We’ll have to wait and see if more incidents like this will be uncovered in the foreseeable future. For now, people will be quiet, cautious and watching their backs. At least the pigs will lie low while the butcher is roaming.

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