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Juventus complain officially to FIGC and AIA
Posted - 25th February 2008
Juventus were penalised heavily by the refereeing decisions during Saturday night's 2-1 defeat to Reggina. The club, at the heart of Calciopoli, and allegations of match-fixing, have had their fill of referees and their costly decisions. In a move that Juventus fans applauded, club Chariman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli wrote a measured but clear letter of complaint to the Italian football federation (FIGC) and the Association of Referees (AIA). Fans from other clubs, who have (as recently as last season) fallen foul to inexplicable decisions in favour of Juventus, may be less sympathetic (for example Bologna FC fans, who have lost games to Juventus at home in questionable circumstances a number of times in recent years - including in Serie B last year).
For what it's worth, here's the Three Monkeys translation of Cobolli Gigli and Jean-Claude Blanc's open letter:
"In the course of this and the preceding championship Juventus has always sought to distance itself from tension regarding the world of refereeing, avoiding to slip into heated discussion and accepting with fair play decisions, even those controversial. An attitude that, unfortunately, in light of the events in Reggio Calabria we must reconsider.
Yet again, in the course of this season, Juventus has been damaged irreversibly by the decisions of the match director. The repetition of such serious episodes demands an intervention by the federal organisations to guarantee the regularity of the championship and to protect the efforts and professionalism of the players, technical staff, and management of Juventus.
The Football federation has the obligation to ensure the rules are respected and to guarantee the fairness of the sporting competition, placed in discussion by the inadequacies of the refereeing body. Some decisions by referees are confirming a doubt raised by various parties: and that is that in relation to Juventus there is not a calm and serious attitude to match that with which the Club and it's team face their duties.
What is certain is that Juventus cannot continue to pay the price for things which it has already suffered extremely severe penalties and from which it's rising again thanks to the passion of its fans who, legitimately demand respect.
Today, in a decisive phase of the championship and in proximity to strategic decisions for the financial future of the club, Juventus ask that the Football Federation take immediate and effective measures to put right an extremely compromised situatio.
There's a need to rediscover faith in the refereeing body and to give back spirit to Italian football. A world based on passion, on committment, but alson on professionalism and competence that can't be frustrated by one component that closes itself off obstinately from the news and reacts with irritation to its critics."
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