Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina have been relegated to the Italian second division as punishment for being implicated in the country's match-fixing scandal, but AC Milan were handed a Serie A reprieve. Juventus were also deducted 30 points from their total for next season and stripped of their last two league titles. Lazio and Fiorentina were also relegated to Serie B and penalised seven points and 12 points respectively. AC Milan will stay in Serie A but will lose 15 points and will be kicked out of the UEFA Champions League. The decisions were handed out just five days after Italy won the 2006 World Cup with a penalty shoot-out victory over France in Berlin. The teams will have three days to appeal before a federal court of arbitration and a final decision will be given by 24 July. The scandal broke after transcripts of former Juve general manager Luciano Moggi telling the head of Italy's refereeing commission what officials he wanted appointed to specific games were published in the Italian media. As well as the four clubs, 26 individuals were on trial for sporting fraud. They include club officials, Italian Football Federation figures, referees and linesman. The match-fixing revelations hit the headlines in May. Despite calls from some for the clubs to be granted an amnesty as a result of Italy's World Cup success -- 13 of the national squad belong to the four teams implicated -- Italian Football Federation (FIGC) commissioner Guido Rossi dismissed the idea. Justice Minister Clemente Mastella said he understood requests for an amnesty in the light of the World Cup success, but Rome's socialist mayor Walter Veltroni said the sport had to be cleaned up. If appeals are launched, the FIGC wants them finalised by 25 July, the deadline for the names of the clubs to be submitted to UEFA to enter the Champions League and UEFA Cup next season. The verdicts were handed down on Friday by a disciplinary panel made up of five retired judges. Jury president Cesare Ruperto, 81, took a swipe at criticism that the tribunal was a kangaroo court aimed at reaching a snap decision to clarify clubs' league status before the new season. Juventus, the club in the eye of the storm over allegations referees were picked to favour certain teams in key matches in the 2004/05 season, had said they would accept relegation to the second division in a bid to turn the page on one of Italian football's sorriest chapters. The players were not given to leniency either. "I don't know if I'm going to stay with Juventus," said Azzurri goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon before the World Cup final was played. AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said: "Giving an amnesty to the guilty parties in this scandal would be unfair and disappointing to millions of fans awaiting these sentences." Prime Minister Romano Prodi had said that those who made mistakes in Italy's match-fixing scandal should pay the price and that Italy's World Cup win should not influence judges. "If the clubs and some men running the clubs made mistakes and if they were guilty they have to pay, even if we are world champions," Prodi said. "If you give the message that there is no problem because we won (the cup), I don't think it is justified." Prodi said he did not agree with calls for a general amnesty. "If you confuse the two sides you don't give the example that must be given. If it is demonstrated that there was some cheating (they must pay)," he said. "You know how important football is for young people and for the deep morality of the country because it is so popular. If you give the message that there is no problem because we won (the cup), I don't think it is justified." Prodi said a just but exemplary sentence would help improve the country's image. "The process of improving the image of a country (includes) giving the message that justice is done. If they are innocent, fine. If they are guilty, sorry," he said. Asked if he thought it was fair that great players who helped Italy win the World Cup may be the ones to suffer if their teams are relegated, he joked. "They are great players and they will find a place (to play). They won't stay unemployed. You can't mix up the two things."
