Soccer: Juventus' 15-Point Deduction Overturned

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Facts

  • On Thursday, the Italian Olympic Committee, the country's highest sporting court, overturned a 15-point penalty previously given to soccer team Juventus for financial violations — pending a final decision by the Italian Football Association's appeals court.1
  • Juventus was punished in January after being found guilty of falsifying capital gains related to transfer dealings between 2019 and 2021. However, the club has denied any wrongdoing, and the penalty's reversal will bring Juve from seventh to third in Serie A.2
  • The decision was made after a three-hour hearing on Wednesday afternoon, with Juventus now only two points behind Lazio in second and pushing AC Milan outside of Champions League qualification.3
  • January's punishment also banned several members of the club's board from football activities. Paolo Garimberti, Enrico Vellano, and Pavel Nedved were successful in appealing their charges, but former club presidents Fabio Paratici and Federico Cherubini saw their appeals rejected.4
  • The Sports Guarantee Board didn't completely exonerate Juventus of wrongdoing, ruling that a soccer court comprised of different judges should hold new proceedings against the club and its embattled directors.5
  • Juventus' CFO, Francesco Calvo, stated that the news allowed the club to "finally have certainty" and expected the 15-points to remain "forever." The club still faces potential sporting penalties by the court due to a separate case surrounding irregularities in the club's payment to players.5

Sources: 1CBS, 2BBC News, 3Eurosport, 4Guardian, and 5Reuters.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Black White Read All Over. While there is some uncertainty due to the necessity for the ruling to be upheld by the appeals court, the result is a reason for Juventus and its supporters to be happy. Now the club is suddenly back in Champions League contention. While worries will continue to linger, the decision should be celebrated while it continues to stand.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Twitter. The latest ruling is the worst possible scenario for Serie A. Soccer standings for many clubs will not be decided on the pitch for the rest of the season, and any definitive results cannot be expected until the end of the season. In reality, it would've been much better if the committee ruled one way or the other, instead of keeping Italian soccer in a limbo.