The Perugia prosecutor's office has confirmed Juventus ‘were activated, even at the highest institutional levels, to accelerate the recognition of Luis Suarez’s Italian citizenship,’ adding: ‘More investigations are ongoing.’
Italian authorities investigated alleged irregularities in Luis Suarez's Italian citizenship test in September.
The Perugia prosecutor's office has confirmed Juventus ‘were activated, even at the highest institutional levels, to accelerate the recognition of Luis Suarez’s Italian citizenship,’ adding: ‘More investigations are ongoing.’
Italian authorities investigated alleged irregularities in Luis Suarez's Italian citizenship test in September.
Suarez underwent the test in the University of Perugia. The Uruguay striker was reportedly wanted by Juventus although the Old Lady had filled their spots for non-EU players. The Uruguay striker eventually joined Atletico Madrid from Barcelona.
Perugia’s Prosecutor Office confirmed on Friday the suspension for eight months from the exercise of public offices for the Rector of the University Giuliana Grego, the University’s CEO Simone Olivieri and professors Stefania Spina and Lorenzo Rocca ‘for the offence of disclosure of professional secrecy aimed at undue profit and multiple ideological falsehoods in public acts.’
“It emerged that the contents of the test had been communicated in advance to the player, in order to arrive at a predetermined outcome and examination score to meet the requests that had been made by Juventus, with the aim of achieving a positive image return, both personal and for the University,” the Prosecutor’s statement reads.
“Investigations have also allowed us to understand how, in the first days of September 2020, the management of the Turin club was activated, even at the highest institutional levels, to accelerate recognition of Italian citizenship of Suarez. This suggests new hypotheses of crime against persons other than those belonging to the university, still in the process of study.”
Maria Turco, one of Juventus’ lawyers said in September there was “no negotiation nor agreement”. A phone call between the lawyer and the University had revealed promises of returning with more foreign players in the future.