Italy’s Juventus docked 10 points for transfer deals
Juventus on Monday were docked 10 points for the current Serie A season after a new ruling by an Italian soccer court in a case centred on the club’s transfer dealings, Italy’s Football Association (FIGC) said.
The deduction provisionally pushes Juve, Italy’s most successful soccer team, down from second to seventh place in the top-flight standings on 59 points and currently out of the qualifying spots for lucrative European competitions.
The Turin club, however, have a game in hand at Empoli on Monday, with two more matches before the season ends.
Juve were handed a 15-point penalty in January that was later scrapped by Italy’s top sports body, which ordered soccer authorities to hold a new hearing resulting in Monday’s decision.
In the hearing that preceded the latest ruling, a soccer prosecutor had asked for Juventus to have 11 points deducted, according to two sources close to the matter.
Following news of the prosecutor’s request, on Monday Milan-listed shares in Juventus fell as much as 5.15 per cent. They closed down 0.63 per cent.
Juventus, controlled by Exor EXOR.AS, the holding company of Italy’s Agnelli family, face further potential sporting penalties, including more points deductions, in a separate case that the FIGC is conducting over alleged irregularities in the club’s payments to players as well as undue relationships with players’ agents and other clubs.
The FIGC last week ordered a new sport trial against Juventus. It is not yet clear if any potential penalties which could be applied as part of this new sport trial will affect the current Serie A season or the next one.
Inquiries by sports authorities were triggered by investigations from criminal prosecutors in Turin, where the club is based, in a case regarding alleged false accounting.
As part of this case, former Chairman Andrea Agnelli, 11 other people and the club itself risk standing trial.
Juventus have denied any wrongdoing and said their accounting is in line with industry standards.
