Tottenham are in shambles as managing director Fabio Paratici has been banned worldwide for two-and-a-half years for ‘financial misconduct’ in Italy – and may now have to step down
Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici is likely to step down after FIFA extended a worldwide ban imposed by the Italian federation for “financial misconduct”.
When Juventus dropped 15 points in January following a ‘Prisma’ investigation after they were found guilty of false accounting in relation to transfer deals, several of the club’s current and former executives received bans.
Paratici’s 30-month ban – which was the longest suspension handed to 12 sanctioned individuals – only applies to Italian football, but FIFA has now confirmed this will be extended worldwide, giving Tottenham another big problem.
In a statement, they said: “FIFA can confirm that, at the request of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the head of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the sanctions imposed by the federation on several football officials to have a global impact.”
Paratici and Juventus denied any wrongdoing and appealed the decision along with a 15-point deduction.
Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici’s 30-month ban from football – originally handed by the Italian federation – has been extended worldwide by FIFA
Daniel Levy is facing a managerial crisis at Tottenham as Paracci may now be forced to step down
Juventus is accused of fake contacts with companies, false contacts to the stock market and obstruction of a supervisory authority, but said their accounts were in line with industry standards.
The news about Paratici comes as a huge blow to Tottenham, as the Italians prepare to lead their search for a new coach after Antonio Conte left the club by mutual consent on Sunday.
It was only on Tuesday that an interview with Paratici was published on the club’s official website, in which he covered a number of topics including Conte’s sacking and the search for his replacement.
The 50-year-old spent 11 years with Juventus from 2010-2021, which included a stint as sporting director, before joining Tottenham that summer.
After Prisma’s investigation, other executives banned included former president Andrea Agnelli and CEO Maurizio Arrivabene who were each given a two-year sentence.
On the other hand, Vice President and former player Pavel Nedved has been suspended for eight months.
An appeal against the penalties implemented by the FIGC – which include points deductions and individual bans – is set to be heard by the Italian Olympic Committee on April 19.
Paracci was one of 12 former Juventus officials sanctioned following the Prisma investigation, which included former president Andrea Agnelli (second from left) and vice president Pavel Nedved (left).
Parachi was expected to lead the search for Antonio Conte’s replacement as Tottenham manager
The 50-year-old spent 11 years at Juventus and joined Tottenham in the summer of 2021.
It was also reported on Monday how a Turin judge had begun the investigation Whether it was the previous 12 Juventus Those responsible – including former president Agnelli and Paratici – and the club itself must face trial over allegations of false accounting and market manipulation.
On the first day of the hearing behind closed doors, preliminary procedural issues were discussed before advancing to May 10. The hearing is expected to last several months, after which Judge Marco Picco will decide whether to order a trial.
Tottenham have not commented on the ban imposed on Paratici since it was handed down in January, while FIFA has extended the ban to all other sanctioned individuals around the world.
It remains to be seen what effect this will have on his role at Tottenham, but it will likely put him under serious scrutiny.
