Juventus Chief In Jibe Over Passport Scandal
Tuesday 6th February 2001
Juventus president Vittorio Chiusano has used the passports scandal
engulfing Serie A to round on critics who accused his club last season of
bribing referees. "Now I can say I'm proud Juventus are not involved in this
case," he said.
Lazio are suing Roma manager Fabio Capello, who suggested over the weekend
that his club's city rivals should be stripped of the championship for
fielding Juan Sebastian Veron as an EU player when his papers were
irregular.
But Chiusano said: "I don't think Lazio should lose the Scudetto in court.
It's like a science-fiction book. But Italian football needs more justice.
"There are people who consider us the mafia club which can choose referees,
and so on. But there are individuals at Roma who changed the football
federation president and other people in power for their own benefit. There
are people who have said one thing and done another," he added.
"I thought about the last round of Serie A last week, when there were
whispers in the media suggesting the result would be suspicious if Juventus
won. Then we lost that match under heavy rain in Perugia.
"Maybe people can feel more sympathy for us now this new scandal is out. We
know our player Fabian O'Neill has a Greek passport, but when I found out I
smiled because I chose to register him as Uruguayan."
Veron's trial for alleged passport irregularities began on Tuesday morning.
Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti, marketing director Felice Pulici and the
player are all charged with fabricating the Argentine's Italian passport.
