Ex-Juventus president Andrea Agnelli banned for another 16 months

ROME (AP) — Former Juventus president Andrea Agnelli was banned from soccer for another 16 months after he was charged with fraud for the way he handled player salary cuts during the coronavirus pandemic.

It adds to a two-year ban already inflicted on Agnelli for a false accounting case.

Agnelli was also fined 60,000 euros ($65,000) by the Italian soccer federation on Monday after being judged responsible for wrongdoing in relationships with player agents and partnerships with other clubs.

Juventus and seven other former Juventus directors agreed to a plea bargain with the federation in May over the salary case, while Agnelli was the only figure in the case who decided to be judged.

At the start of the pandemic, Juventus said 23 players agreed to reduce their salary for four months to help the club through the crisis. But prosecutors claim the players gave up only one month's salary.

Juventus, which was docked 10 points last season for false accounting in a separate legal case, risked a further points deduction.

Agnelli and Juventus have denied wrongdoing. He and the entire Juventus board resigned in November following the investigation by Turin prosecutors into false accounting.

It's developing into a busy week of legal cases for Agnelli, whose latest appeal over the two-year ban stemming from the false accounting case is due to be heard on Tuesday.

Also, UEFA is expected to decide soon if Juventus should be banned from the Conference League next season due to its legal troubles.

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