The Calciopoli Relegation
The 2006 Italian football scandal that led to Juventus's relegation and Inter Milan being awarded the 2005–06 scudetto.
Calciopoli was a sports scandal that emerged in Italy's professional association football league in 2006, involving Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio, Fiorentina, and Reggina. The scandal was uncovered through wiretapped conversations revealing Juventus officials influenced referee assignments to benefit the club.
- Starting_Point
- -9 points deduction (originally -30, reduced to -17, then -9 on appeal)
- Manager_During_Relegation
- Didier Deschamps (head coach) / Giancarlo Corradini (caretaker)
- Outcome
- Immediate Promotion as Serie B Champions (1st place)
Lore & Background
The scandal first came to light from investigations into the football agency GEA World, founded by Luciano Moggi's son. Transcripts showed Juventus general director Luciano Moggi and CEO Antonio Giraudo discussing referee designations for the 2004–05 Serie A season. Notable referees Pierluigi Collina and Roberto Rosetti emerged unscathed. The scandal drew attention to conflicts of interest, including Inter Milan's sponsorship of Serie A through Gruppo TIM, Silvio Berlusconi's dual role as Milan president and Prime Minister, and Juventus's ownership by the Agnelli family, which also controlled FIAT, a sponsor of the FIGC and the Italian Referee Association.
In Their Own Story
The rain hammered the stands of Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino as the final whistle blew in the promotion playoff decider. The air was thick with tension and the smell of wet earth. Alessandro Del Piero stood on the sideline, his face a mask of exhaustion and relief, watching his teammates embrace. They had been stripped of their crowns, branded outcasts by the footballing establishment, yet here they were, stepping back into the light. It wasn't just a victory; it was a resurrection.
Reader's Guide
The 2005–06 Serie A championship, won by Juventus, was remade to retroactively punish implicated clubs. This resulted in third-classified Inter Milan being awarded the scudetto by FIGC commissioner Guido Rossi after a vote, alongside Juventus's relegation and penalty points for Fiorentina, Lazio, Milan, and Reggina. The 2005–06 championship was never investigated; only the 2004–05 title, also won by Juventus, was revoked.
Did You Know?
- The scandal was first reported by Il Romanista, a newspaper dedicated to Roma supporters, not by major sports or investigative press.
- Massimo De Santis was barred from refereeing at the 2006 World Cup after coming under investigation.
- A study on the 2004–05 Serie A championship found that Juventus averaged fewer points per game with investigated referees than with those not investigated.
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