Anyhow, I’m all for giving them an Oscar for good acting, though.

Forza Azurri!

If the 2002 scandal was an issue (& there is certainly one in 2006), then that just paints a consistent picture. “Preponderance of Evidence”. 2002 incident doesn’t lessent he 2006 incident, they *collectively* point to an Ethics/Standards issue.

All Sports are being rocked by Cheating Scandals, the PED (Performance Enhancing Drugs) is a really serious widespread problem. If 1 athlete uses them..& gets away with it, then other athletes feel compelled to do it. If they don’t, they can’t compete (& can’t win). Obviously, the Sanctioning Body has to step in with Rules & Enforcement (drug tests). Unfortunately, Science/Bio-Tech is getting a black-eye here, just like the A-Bomb (”explosive technology”): it’s being used for malevolent purposes.

I won’t forget the infamous Olympics boxing scandal, where a S. Korean boxer was given a decision over an American boxer (black)..after the American clearly won the fight. There were allegations of bribes (”diamonds given to the refs”).

I’m against any violation of Ethics, Integrity, Credibility. Italy’s win is tainted, I’m playing no favorites. “Cheaters never Prosper”

Here’s a good essay on Ethics/Integrity, Man in the Glass, & here

Can Team Italy look at themselves in the Glass? If they do, then they have problems..

The rules of the World Cup should have a clause, regarding Ethics & Sportsmanship. The US Military (West Point) was rocked by a Cheating Scandal back in the 70’s (& even now, with harassment of female cades @Air Force Academy), whereupon they had to amend the U.S. Cadet Code of Conduct:

“A cadet does not engage in Cheating, NOR DOES HE CONDONE IT (if he witnesses it)”
[ to prevent a "Code of Silence" situation, thereby fueling cheating situations. It's actually emblazened on a large stone on the Air Force Academy campus ]

If half of the Italian squad is implicated, & the World Cup allows them to walk away with a championship..what does that say about the Credibility of the WC?

“Once you lost Credibility, YOU CAN NEVER GET IT BACK”
– from a Journalism ethics website

I wonder if some enterprising soul/entity will file a protest (& possible legal-action), claiming disqualification of Italy..thereby handing the championship to France? An Indy 500 result ended up getting wrapped up in a court-case (B. Unser & M. Andretti), before the final result was handed down. The “passing under yellow” rule was the issue, & a lawsuit was filed to have it enforced!

Sportsmanship & Ethics, the Integrity of the Game. The World Cup is about unity of countries all over the world, where they can ignore politics/war & come together (”even playing field”) for some sportsmanlike competition. “May the best player win!”

Possibly didn’t happen, with the Italian soccer scandal.

Recall the 2002 Winter Olympics skating scandal, they actually rectified the situation by awarding TWO gold medals (public outrage forced the Olympic committee to “upgrade” the 2nd place Canadian team). This prompted a lashback, “this defeats the purpose of a gold medal, you can’t have 2 winners!”

There may be some motivation for FIFA World Cup to do something similar. I don’t think they can have their image tarnished by a WC champion (Italy) go around with this “cloud of suspicion”. Look at the recent Tour de France blood doping scandal, the offenders were flat out DQ’d from competition (an Italian cyclist accused L. Armstrong/USA of cheating, a book came out & lawsuits were filed). TDF is taking a stand against cheating, enforcing rules (DQ’d 2 of the top cyclists, Basso & Ulrich) & preventing it from tarnishing their Sport & public-image.

“The predictive power of a Theory”

You’re all scientists, & understand the “global implications” of a local phenomena. This type of “game fixing, refs being paid off” must extend beyond Italian soccer, how big of a problem is it elsewhere? Short response to a solution: Rules & Enforcement. Some education of players/managers, a sports-wide mandate should be implemented. Olympics have 2 stages of blood testing. Some athletes were DQ’d & sent packing home, after failed drug tests at the recent Greek Olympics.

“What’s the point, in participating in a Competition, where there isn’t a ‘level playing field’? May as well go home.”