Another penalty for the ex-president of Juventus, Andrea Agnelli

The Sports Court of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) sentenced the former president of Juventus Andrea Agnelli, one of the teams in the First Football League (Serie A), to 16 months of deprivation of rights and a fine for irregularities detected in his club in paying soccer players during his presidency.

Former club president Andrea Agnelli, who was previously banned for 24 months for being among those responsible for the financial corruption investigation into unfair capital gains and transfer values ​​of football players, in which the name of Juventus is mentioned Club, was also sanctioned in the file on irregularity in the payment of soccer player salaries.

In a written statement from the FIGC, it was reported that the former president of the Club Agnelli was sanctioned with 16 months of deprivation of rights and a fine of 60,000 euros for the violation of the rules of sports discipline of the salary movements of the players, relations with player managers and partnerships with other Juventus clubs.

On the other hand, in some news in the Italian press it was indicated that Juventus could renounce its right to participate in the UEFA Europa Conference League this year to avoid punishment from the investigation carried out by UEFA.

PRISM INVESTIGATION

Within the framework of the investigation called “Prisma”, which was launched by the Turin General Prosecutor’s Office in May 2021 and examined the financial accounts of Juventus for the period 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, searches were made at the offices of the club in Turin, Milan and Rome in November 2021 and March 2022.

The managers and footballers Paulo Dybala, Alex Sandro and Federico Bernardeschi, who were at the black and white club during the aforementioned period, also declared that they were consulted in the framework of the investigation.

It was reported in the media that the prosecutors conducting the investigation detected financial irregularities such as improper earnings, incomplete or false declarations, especially in footballer signings and salaries, in the club’s financial accounts for the 2019-2021 period.

RESIGNATION NOVEMBER 28, 2022

In addition to the completion of the Attorney General’s investigation in October 2022, then club president Andrea Agnelli and his management announced that they resigned on November 28, 2022 to protect the club’s interests.

UEFA also decided to launch an investigation against Juventus on December 1, 2022 for possible violations of financial fair play and club licensing rules.

Due to the deepening of the investigation by the Turin Public Prosecutor’s Office, the FIGC also restarted its investigation into unfair capital gains and transfer values, which it had previously closed in May 2022, on December 22, 2022 for Juventus and 8 clubs, in which new information emerged.

15 POINTS REMOVED PENALTY WAS GIVEN

The FIGC sports judge, as a result of the investigation, acquitted 8 clubs on January 20 and sentenced Juventus to a deduction of 15 points. Former Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici was sentenced to 30 months, former president Andrea Agnelli to 24 months, former manager Maurizio Arrivabene to 24 months, Pavel Nedved to 8 months of suspension.

Discussing Juventus’ appeal against the sanction, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) Arbitration Board canceled the 15-point deduction sanction on April 20 and sent it back to the FIGC for reconsideration. The FIGC discussed the case again on May 22 and ordered the black and white club to deduct 10 points. Pavel Nedved and 6 other lower level executives were acquitted.

THE INFLUENCES ON THE PAYMENT OF WAGES ARE ALSO UNDER RESEARCH

The FIGC also launched a separate investigation in January into Juventus player salary payments in the 2019-2021 season.

The black and white team agreed with the FIGC on a speedy trial so as not to be penalized in sporting terms for this investigation, and agreed to pay a fine of 718,240 euros on May 30. Former President Agnelli had not accepted a speedy trial. (AA)