The offensive statements and posts by one of the prosecutors and two Coni judges leave one dumbfounded
Let’s start with the conclusion: Juventus – like any other club or individual accused in an ordinary or sporting proceeding – has the right to a fair trial, to be judged by an objective and non-partisan judge and to be investigated by a free public prosecutor by conditioning, prejudice or adverse support. It seems like a trivial, obvious concept. But it must be repeated forcefully given what is coming out these days, digging into the past of one of the prosecutors of the Prisma investigation (Ciro Santoriello) and of those who are part of the Coni guarantee board (Vincenzo Cesaro and Pier Giorgio Maffezzoli) even if he will not be called upon to judge Juve’s appeal on -15. Embarrassing statements by the prosecutor, released 4 years ago at a conference, and old posts written on social media by the Coni judges, which at best denote an unacceptable lightness for those who hold certain roles and at worst an aversion that could undermine honesty of judgment.
Interdicted
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To listen to certain phrases (“I admit it, I follow and am a huge fan of Napoli and I hate Juventus. As a public prosecutor I am anti-Juventus, against thievery on the pitch”) and to read certain posts (“The Super League represents another page squalid history of the Agnelli”) and certain card sharing (“Contribute by leaving your Juve shit”) one must remain dumbfounded and worried to say the least. It seems to be at the bar, where some fans exacerbate concepts with their team’s scarf around their necks. And instead we are talking about established professionals. As was understandable, the anger of Juventus fans was unleashed on social media who feel surrounded and victims of a conspiracy. It should always be remembered that the decision of the Court of Appeal which punished Juventus was not based on a reconstruction of a prosecutor, but on the interceptions of the protagonists, i.e. objective data.
Replica
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Elegance and style demonstrated Francesco Calvo, Juventus’ new chief football officer, in the pre-match match against Salernitana speaking of Santoriello’s statements: “I think some extrapolated sentences can take on a different meaning from what they have. It applies to Juve and all the people involved in the investigation and also in this case. Juve always give respect, but we demand respect.” This is what not only the Juventus club and its fans demand, but we must all demand: institutions, media and sportsmen who care about different teams. Because sooner or later, the others risk being us. Anyone who is called to play very important roles such as a prosecutor has a duty to weigh his words in all circumstances. And those who choose professionals, such as those of the Coni guarantee college, have a duty (difficult, we realize) to thoroughly check their present and their past, even on social media.
February 8, 2023 (change February 8, 2023 | 10:23 am)
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