Prosecutor seeks to have clubs relegated

The Italian football federation's prosecutor has asked that all four clubs being tried for match fixing by a sports tribunal should be thrown out of Serie A, with champions Juventus to be relegated at least two divisions.

On the third day of Italy's biggest sporting trial, Stefano Palazzi called for Juventus to be relegated to "below Serie B," and for AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio to be all relegated to Serie B.

In addition, Palazzi said Juventus, who would go into Serie C1 or below if his requests are upheld, should be stripped of their championship titles won in the last two seasons.

The first day of questioning in Italy's biggest soccer trial began with one of the most high-profile defendants arguing he should play no further part in proceedings.

The lawyer representing former Italian Football Federation (FIGC) official Paolo Bergamo announced that his client had surrendered his membership of the FIGC and was not therefore liable to be tried by the sports tribunal.

Bergamo used to conduct the draw that assigned referees to Serie A matches.

"This morning Bergamo has taken the difficult decision to resign from the FIGC after 40 years of activity," said Gaetano Scalise. Scalise criticised the tribunal's decision to allow intercepted telephone calls to be used as evidence and attacked the "media circus" around the trial.

Bergamo has been at the heart of the scandal since phone-taps revealed him discussing refereeing appointments with former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi during the 2004-05 season.

As well as the four clubs charged, 26 officials face charges of sporting fraud and unfair conduct at the trial in Rome's Olympic Stadium.

The trial began last Thursday but was quickly adjourned. Proceedings resumed yesterday but that day was also taken up with objections from defence lawyers and no defendants or witnesses were questioned.

The tribunal has said it aims to deliver its verdicts on July 10th, the day after the World Cup final in Berlin.

All the accused have denied wrongdoing. Those found guilty can appeal, but the appeals process must be finished by July 27th - the deadline set by Uefa for the FIGC to submit the list of teams for next season's Champions League and Uefa Cup competition.