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<H2 class=article></H2><SPAN>First Published: Aug 24, 2006</SPAN> <DIV class=floating style="FLOAT: right; WIDTH: 181px">
The Juventus logo. Fallen Italian giants Juventus, who were demoted to the second division last month with a penalty of minus 17 points for match-fixing, have officially lodged their appeal with a civil court.</DIV>
Fallen Italian giants Juventus, who were demoted to the second division last month with a penalty of minus 17 points for match-fixing, have officially lodged their appeal with a civil court.
It follows an unsuccessful appeal to the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), Italy's highest sports authority, and could result in heavier sanctions for the club from the Italian football federation (FIGC).
The civil court that Juve are turning to in a bid to be reinstated in Serie A is the Regional Administrative Court of Lazio, or TAR as it is known in Italy. The TAR has the authority to overturn rulings made by sports federation bodies, but is normally reluctant to intervene in sporting issues.
The FIGC, who handed the Turin club their punishment, wanted to keep the matter in the hands of sports bodies rather than the criminal courts and fear the move could delay the start of the domestic season, which is due to begin on September 9-10.
Such action is also against the regulations of FIFA, world football's governing body.
On Wednesday the FIGC told FIFA they would sanction clubs who have infringed article 27 of its rules, which forbids clubs taking cases to civil courts.
Article 61-2 of FIFA's rules also states that appealing to civil courts is forbidden and that the only other alternative is the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
However, despite the threat of further penalties, Juve remain defiant.
"We retain that the sanctions are unjustified and our treatment shows a lack of respect when you compare our punishment with those given to the other guilty clubs," said a statement issued by Juventus.
Juventus, whose former general manager Luciano Moggi was the central figure in the match-fixing scandal, were the only club of the five found guilty of match-fixing to be relegated from Italy's top division.
They were also stripped of last season's Serie A title and the one they won in 2004-05.
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The Juventus logo. Fallen Italian giants Juventus, who were demoted to the second division last month with a penalty of minus 17 points for match-fixing, have officially lodged their appeal with a civil court.</DIV>
Fallen Italian giants Juventus, who were demoted to the second division last month with a penalty of minus 17 points for match-fixing, have officially lodged their appeal with a civil court.
It follows an unsuccessful appeal to the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), Italy's highest sports authority, and could result in heavier sanctions for the club from the Italian football federation (FIGC).
The civil court that Juve are turning to in a bid to be reinstated in Serie A is the Regional Administrative Court of Lazio, or TAR as it is known in Italy. The TAR has the authority to overturn rulings made by sports federation bodies, but is normally reluctant to intervene in sporting issues.
The FIGC, who handed the Turin club their punishment, wanted to keep the matter in the hands of sports bodies rather than the criminal courts and fear the move could delay the start of the domestic season, which is due to begin on September 9-10.
Such action is also against the regulations of FIFA, world football's governing body.
On Wednesday the FIGC told FIFA they would sanction clubs who have infringed article 27 of its rules, which forbids clubs taking cases to civil courts.
Article 61-2 of FIFA's rules also states that appealing to civil courts is forbidden and that the only other alternative is the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
However, despite the threat of further penalties, Juve remain defiant.
"We retain that the sanctions are unjustified and our treatment shows a lack of respect when you compare our punishment with those given to the other guilty clubs," said a statement issued by Juventus.
Juventus, whose former general manager Luciano Moggi was the central figure in the match-fixing scandal, were the only club of the five found guilty of match-fixing to be relegated from Italy's top division.
They were also stripped of last season's Serie A title and the one they won in 2004-05.