AC Milan club president Silvio Berlusconi has criticized the possible ruling that his club and three others should be relegated to Serie B for their role in the match-fixing scandal currently rocking Italy's domestic league. Berlusconi has claimed that any punishment imposed on the field would unjustly punish the players and fans. "The sanctions should not be aimed at the players who don't deserve to drop into Serie B or C," insisted the former Prime Minister in an interview with La Gazzetta Dello Sport. "We also shouldn't punish the fans who have done nothing wrong. I'm against relegating anyone, I'm not just talking about us." Berlusconi did declare that any individuals found to have committed sporting fraud should face sanctions, but only after enduring an appropriate trial. "It's only fair that the guilty pay for their actions," he said. "The directors and referees involved should face a proper trial though, not a rushed one."
the scandal rocked Italy Milan are one of four clubs on trial in the match-fixing scandal and are facing relegation to a lower league along with Juventus, Fiorentina and Lazio. FIGC prosecutor Stefano Palazzi has called for Juventus to be relegated to a Division "lower than Serie B" and docked six points. He has asked the court to relegate the three other teams to Serie B with a 15-point deduction for Fiorentina and Lazio, but said that Milan should only be have three points deducted. Berlusconi also spoke of the financial damage that can hit the Scudetto as a result of such legal actions. "Should Juve be relegated it would hinder other clubs that would lose the revenue they take when they play against a team like Juventus. "One also has to think of the damage this would create to sponsors and television companies that have signed contracts with these clubs," he said. Beyond the four clubs, 25 individuals are indicted and an overall verdict is expected at some stage between now and Saturday.
