Rome, Jan 27 (IANS) Italian football club Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini says he will ask for the suspension of the Serie A following the start of Operation Offside scandal.
Zamparini is just one of the directors and players who are named as suspects in a large-scale tax evasion investigation which started on Tuesday.
The Palermo president has termed the inquiry a “disgrace” adding that he will ask all the other 19 Serie A club presidents to boycott the present season.
“I think this isn’t justice, but cinema — an investigation that’s based on nothing,” Zamparini was quoted as saying by football-italia.net.
“I challenge the judges to find a single irregularity in Palermo’s accounts. My club and I have always done everything to respect the rules.
“On Friday, at the Lega, I’ll ask the other 19 Serie A presidents to suspend the league.”
Zamparini said he came to know that he was a suspect through a former Palermo sporting director who had called to inform him.
“Do you know how I became aware that there was an ongoing investigation that concerned me? Rino Foschi (former Palermo sporting director who is also allegedly involved) called me on the phone,” he said.
“He was in tears because they seized his bank account that had 5000 Euros in it. This is the Italy of today.
“I didn’t even want to comment on the story and instead I turned on the phone and spoke about it because it’s right that people know. It’s a disgrace what is happening.”