Tottenham wait goes on to hear Fabio Paratici outcome
By George Sessions, PA
Tottenham managing director of football Fabio Paratici will have to wait to discover his fate over a 30-month ban.
Paratici was handed a two-and-a-half-year suspension from working in Italy in January by the FIGC Court of Appeal for his involvement in allegations of false accounting at his old club Juventus, who were given a 15-point deduction.
An appeal was launched but in the meantime FIFA last month extended Paratici’s ban globally and the Italian took an immediate absence of leave from his duties at Spurs on March 31st.
Fabio Paratici - Update
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 31, 2023
Wednesday saw the appeal hearing take place at the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) in front of the Sports Guarantee Panel chaired by Gabriella Palmieri Sandulli.
After a prompt 1.30pm (BST) start at the CONI headquarters, the panel listened to almost three hours of evidence before the hearing concluded at 4.15pm.
A council chamber was called immediately after and a decision on the sanctions handed to Paratici and Juventus is now waiting to be finalised but will not happen until Thursday at the earliest after officials left the Rome venue just past 6pm on Wednesday.
The panel does not have the power to change the length of the punishment handed out by FIGC, but can cancel the current sanctions, accept them or appeal against them which would see it go back to court.
It can take five days for a decision to be revealed but chair Sandulli, as quoted by Sky Sports Italia, insisted they will make one “in the shortest possible time”.
CONI prosecutor general of sport Ugo Taucer did suggest at the hearing that a new trial could be the final course of action.
Taucer told the hearing: “I actually fear that there is an unfoundedness with respect to the points awarded to the team and there is a lack of reasons that should be evaluated in a new judgment.”
Spurs and Paratici remain in limbo while an outcome is decided.
Paratici had been drawing up a list of candidates to replace Antonio Conte before he temporarily stepped away from his role last month.
Spurs have played three times since Conte left the club on March 26 with a draw at Everton followed by a controversial victory over Brighton before last weekend saw them lose 3-2 at home to Bournemouth.
It dented Tottenham’s top-four hopes and has increased the scrutiny on acting head coach Cristian Stellini, who faces a crunch week with games against Newcastle, Manchester United and Liverpool.
