Passport Scandal Rocks Argentine Stars

Reportedly a network had been set up to obtain false Italian passports in order to facilitate Argentine players' transfers to European clubs. The investigation started last november on input from the Italian Consulate in Buenos Aires: at least 110 raids have been conducted up until now all over the country and 24 people have been arrested.

Italian Consul in Buenos Aires, Giancarlo Curcio, spoke to Ansa earlier today, stating that he 'personally lodged a complaint with the authorities, after growing wary of the existence of an organization that provided false documents to become Italian citizens.'
Among the players named by the newspapers as potentially involved in the case, there are two new Serie A faces, goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo and forward German Denis (signed by Lazio and Napoli respectively), Real Madrid's new defender Juan Forlin and Boca Juniors' keeper Maximiliano Scaparo.

There are also a number of influential South American transfer market gurus and agents embroiled in the scandal: Jorge Cyterszpiler, Leonardo Rodriguez, Gustavo Mascardi, Fernando Hidalgo and Pablo Sabbag.

But sources from within Napoli and Lazio have already assured that this probe is not going to affect them, since the two have been registered as non-EU players.

A similar investigation had shaken Italian football in the 2000-2001 season, with top names such as Alvaro Recoba, Juan Veron and Dida involved.

Stefano Macy