Juventus Send Lawyers After Zeman for Drug Remarks
Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Reuters
TURIN, Italy (Aug 10, 1998 - 16:30 EDT) - Juventus are to follow the lead set by star striker Alessandro Del Piero and sue AS Roma coach Zdenek Zeman over his drugs allegations, the club announced Monday night.
Zeman claimed in a magazine interview that drugs were being used in the Serie A and said he was "amazed" by the muscles on Del Piero and former Turin hero Gianluca Vialli, now player-coach of Chelsea.
Del Piero's agent said last week that he will start legal proceedings against the Czech coach for the slur on his client's reputation.
Club president Vittorio Chiusano, himself a lawyer, said the Italian champions would "resort to the law, to protect the reputation of Juventus and its employees, and above all its coaching staff and players."
While his team were involved in a friendly against Newcastle United, Chiusano described Zeman's comments as "defamation which cannot be tolerated... it would be culpable to show indifference and indulgence.
"Juventus has a heritage of prestige and respectability which has been earned over 100 years and it has to be defended," he said.
Vialli has described Zeman as a "terrorist who is undermining the world of football" and has called for him to be banned for at least a year by the Italian football federation. Vialli is considering legal action.
