Antonio Giraudo breaks silence on Calciopoli scandal

Antonio Giraudo, the former CEO of Juventus, has broken a 20-year silence regarding the Calciopoli scandal. In an interview with La Stampa, Giraudo characterized the scandal as an unprecedented “media pillory” driven by the envy of those who could not defeat the club on the pitch.

Giraudo argued that the primary consequence of the scandal was the decline of Italian football. He expressed confusion over the club's handling of the situation, noting that Juventus accepted a relegation to Serie B without reviewing the wiretaps and sought a plea bargain in financial proceedings that ultimately resulted in the acquittal of its executives. He suggested that the scrutiny faced by the club might have been avoided had Gianni or Umberto Agnelli been in leadership, citing a different “code of respect” in Italian capitalism at the time.

Reflecting on Luciano Moggi, Giraudo acknowledged his management capabilities but stated that Moggi ruined himself through “vain communication.” Giraudo also noted that the legal context has changed following a recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which establishes that individuals facing sporting sanctions have the right to judicial review to ensure the legitimacy of such disciplinary actions.