Italian soccer club Juventus is accused of rigging its finances on player transfer deals and has been docked 15 points as a penalty. The club will drop from 3rd in the Series A standings down to 10th as a result.
Italy’s soccer federation (FIGC) announced the decision on Friday after Italian prosecutors reopened the “plusvalenza” case, an Italian term for capital gains. Juventus was the primary team investigated for inflating outgoing players' values to gain money.
Just because Juventus is Italy’s most notable soccer club doesn't mean that it can commit financial fraud. Juventus is a brand and business, making it subject to the same rules as any other organization. Lying about player values is no different from any other company fixing their books. Juventus and its executives must pay the price for their actions.
The law must apply justly and fairly to all Italian clubs, but Juventus appears to be treated unfairly as it faces a 15-point deduction while other clubs have been exonerated. Ten other teams were under scrutiny in previous investigations, but now they are acquitted. Meanwhile, Juventus has been given an even steeper penalty than originally requested by prosecutors.