A tribunal demoted Juventus to the second division for the first time in its history and stripped it of its last two Serie A titles.

Lazio and Fiorentina were demoted to the Serie B, while AC Milan was spared relegation but penalized 15 points and will not compete in Europe this season.

Of the 26 officials or referees accused in the scandal, 19 received sentences ranging from the maximum five-year ban to a warning; five were acquitted; and two were banned for life without prosecution because they resigned before being charged.

Thirteen of the Italy's 23-man roster that won the July 9 World Cup final belong to the four teams penalized, and speculation has begun about whether they would transfer because the teams could no longer afford them.

Besides relegation, Juventus was penalized 30 points, making it more difficult for the team to instantly return to the first division. Fiorentina was penalized 12 points and Lazio seven.

The Japan Times Weekly: July 22, 2006
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