Inter made to wait over 2006 scudetto
Reuters - Friday 01 July 2011, 17:20
ROME - Inter Milan were left waiting to be
confirmed as 2006 Serie A champions after sporting prosecutors
on Friday deferred a final decision to a meeting of the Italian
football federation (FIGC).
Rivals Juventus had called for the scudetto to be revoked
following allegations that Inter had also been involved in
influencing the selection of favourable referees in that year's
'calciopoli' corruption scandal.
The Turin team were champions in 2004/05 and 2005/06 but
were then stripped of the titles after the scandal broke and
demoted to Serie B, with the latter championship handed to
Inter.
The 2004/05 title was not awarded to any club.
Lawyers representing the FIGC on Friday decided not to
pursue Juventus's claim against Inter on the grounds that any
potential charges had expired under the sporting statute of
limitations.
However, the saga will not be formally closed until the
FIGC's executive committee, due to meet on July 5 and 18,
examine the evidence and reach a decision.
"The matter has been quite clearly defined. With all due
respect, the Federation can discuss it but the case should be
closed because it has been dismissed," Inter quoted club owner
Massimo Moratti as saying.
A statement on the club website added that
"It is therefore confirmed that no disciplinary proceedings can
be initiated against Inter and its members.
"It should also be highlighted there has never been proof in
any judicial court."
JUVENTUS DISAGREE
Juventus disagreed and, in a statement on their website called for the FIGC to bring to light the
findings from the case they had brought against Inter on May 10
last year.
"Only when these acts are seen can the executive committee
and public opinion decide if, on the basis of merely being timed
out, the ethical motives behind handing the 2005/06 scudetto to
Internazionale have stood the test of time and circumstances.
"Circumstances which, strangely, emerged so many years
later. [Decisions to award] honours cannot be timed out," it
added.
Juventus demanded the title be taken away from Inter last
May after a Napoli court investigating the case heard evidence
of more widespread attempts involving Inter to influence the
selection of referees.
On Tuesday, Moratti had hinted he might hand over the
presidency reins to his son Angelomario if the title were
revoked.
"I will not even consider the possibility of such a thing
happening," he told Italy's La Stampa newspaper.
In May, the Napoli court ruled that Luciano Moggi, Juventus'
former general manager, should face five years and eight months
in jail for his involvement in the 2006 scandal if found guilty
of corruption.
Moggi, who had been at the centre of the scandal, was banned
for life last month by the FIGC.
Since calciopoli broke, Juventus, Italy's best supported
club with a record 27 titles, have failed to hit their previous
heights, finishing another disappointing season this year
outside the European places in seventh position.
Inter, meanwhile, have entered into another golden age and
won four more titles along with last year's Champions League
triumph.
City rivals AC Milan grabbed their 18th Serie A crown last
season, drawing level with the Nerazzurri.