Italian press hail Calciopoli verdicts

THE Italian press celebrated the end of a dark chapter in the country’s football history yesterday after the verdicts and jail sentences were handed down in Calciopoli.

Former Juventus director Luciano Moggi was slapped with a five-year, four-month prison term by a Naples court Tuesday night for his role in the match-fixing scandal, known as Calciopoli, that disgraced Italian football five years ago. Moggi, found guilty of criminal association aimed at committing sports fraud, was also banned from football for life by a sports court.

Fifteen others were found guilty, including Fiorentina owners Andrea and Diego Della Valle and Lazio president Claudio Lotito, while eight were cleared. All are to launch appeals with Moggi also denying his charges.

Gazzetta dello Sport led its front page with a photograph of Moggi during the trial followed by a headline: “They are guilty. Moggi gets five years and four months.” Corriere dello Sport also had the story on page one, headlined: “Calciopoli — verdict in Naples — Guilty!”

Their editorial reflected the lessons learned from the scandal, saying: “This poisoned football — now rigour is needed.”