A sports trial over Italy's biggest soccer scandal resumed
Monday in Rome's Olympic Stadium, with four top Serie A teams --
Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina -- facing match-fixing
charges and possible relegation.
Twenty-six soccer officials, including referees, also face
charges of match-fixing and disloyalty at a sports tribunal set up
by the Italian soccer federation.
Tribunal president Cesare Ruperto adjourned proceedings on the
first day of the trial last Thursday to allow five Serie B teams
hoping to be promoted -- Lecce, Messina, Bologna, Brescia and
Treviso -- time to prepare their cases.
All the accused have denied the charges of unfair conduct and
sporting fraud, but if found guilty the clubs face penalties
ranging from deducted points to relegation and being stripped of
their titles. Individuals face bans.
The tribunal is expected to deliver its verdicts on July 10, the
day after the World Cup final in Berlin.
Those found guilty can appeal, but the whole process must be
wrapped up by July 27 -- the deadline set by UEFA for the Italian
Football Federation to submit the list of teams to compete in next
season's Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions.
(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2006)
