“Given that we are still in the investigation phase and everything must be proven, and we are only making accusatory hypotheses, the possible violations are of an economic-managerial nature, and the range of sanctions goes from the fine provided for by article 31 (paragraph 1 of the FIGC Sports Justice Code), or a ranking penalty up to exclusion from the championship in the event of a violation of Article 31, paragraph II, the latter, I would like to emphasize, has never occurred..
These are the hypotheses of the sports law expert, Cesare di Cintio, explaining what Milan could face, in light of the investigation into the sale of the Rossoneri club from the Elliott fund to Jerry Cardinale's Redbird and which has led to the search by the Financial Police at the headquarters of the Rossoneri team and the inclusion of four people on the register of suspects by the Milan public prosecutor's office. Among them Giorgio Furlani, current CEO of Milan, and Ivan Gazidis, his predecessor.
On a sporting level, explains Cintio's lawyer, the matter is settled “of article 31 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the sports justice code which highlights a violation of an economic-managerial nature, with failure to produce, alteration or falsification of even partial documents functional to the control of the FIGC”. Based on the accusatory hypotheses, Milan would have “evaded the rules according to which the federation exercises control functions over professional clubs and any change of ownership. Only in this case – underlines the expert – the crime provided for by art. could come true. 2638 cm3.”.
“If the accusatory hypothesis were proven, the violation of article 32 V paragraph of the FIGC sports justice code could also be contested which, depending on the seriousness, provides for cases of fine or penalization in the classification of a or more points”. – continues Di Cintio – “But there would also be another violation: that of article 5 of the UEFA regulations, which prohibits a club from having control of several clubs participating in European cups. The Elliott fund also controls Lille, hence the second possible violation. The advantages of this operation? It's difficult to say at this stage, which is still entirely hypothetical, but it could be tax related or precisely being able to control several companies.” The expert concludes.
