FIFA suspends Tottenham’s football director
London, Mar 29 (EFE).- FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, said Wednesday that the 30-month ban imposed in Italy on Tottenham Hotspur football director Fabio Paratici for alleged misconduct during his time with Juventus is applicable worldwide.
The sanction was made global at the request of Italy’s FIGC football association, FIFA said.
Paratici, who has 10 days to appeal his worldwide ban to FIFA’s Appeals Committee, was one of several current and former Juventus executives disciplined after the FIGC found the club guilty of fraudulent accounting and docked the Bianconeri 15 points in Serie A.
Juventus and the individuals cited deny the charges and plan to appeal the judgment at a hearing set for April 19.
The news that their head of football may have to step down comes just three days after Spurs and coach Antonio Conte parted ways by mutual agreement.
The loss of Paratici, who came to the Premier League club in 2021 after 11 years with Juve, could complicate Tottenham’s search for a permanent successor to Conte.
In a statement, Tottenham said that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee took up the FIGC request to extend Paratici’s ban “with no advance notice to any of the parties involved.”
“We are urgently seeking further clarification from FIFA,” the London club said.
Conte’s coaching resume includes a Premier League title and FA Cup with Chelsea and four Serie A crowns, three with Juventus and one with Inter Milan.
He guided Spurs to a fourth-place finish in 2021-2022 and they are currently fourth in the table, 2 point ahead of Newcastle United.
But the team crashed out of the Champions League and both domestic cup competitions and Conte’s harsh comments about the players and the organization on March 18 following a 3-3 draw at last-place Southampton appear to have been the final straw.
On that occasion, the 53-year-old Italian denounced the players as “selfish” and emphasized that the club had not won a trophy in two decades.
Long-time Conte assistant Cristian Stellini will take charge of Spurs for the 12 games left in the Premier League season.
One of the team’s stars, South Korean striker Son Heung-min, said that he felt responsible for the split between Conte and the club because he is having a poor season.
“I should have played better. I feel responsible for his departure, because I haven’t helped the club all that much,” he said following a South Korea-Uruguay friendly.
“I am grateful for what he’s done. He’s such a great coach and has so much experience. I will be rooting for him,” the forward said.
Son, 30, scored 23 Premier League goals last season and shared the Golden Boot with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. This season, he has only six goals in league play.
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