Former Tottenham and Juventus director Fabio Paratici has had his global ban partially lifted by FIFA, allowing him to continue working in football.
Paratici had been banned from football-related activities by FIFA after the Italian Football Federation charged him and ten other former Juventus executives with inflating transfer fees to balance the club’s financial records.
The FIGC initially banned him from working in Italy for 30 months, but FIFA extended this to a global ban, leading Paratici to resign from his position at Tottenham. However, following an appeal, Paratici’s ban has been partially lifted, permitting him to attend training sessions and undertake administrative tasks, but preventing him from negotiating with players or agents or entering dressing rooms.
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“FIFA has upheld the appeal presented by Fabio Paratici against the provision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee which, in extending the temporary inhibition imposed by the FIGC worldwide, extended it to a ban on taking part in any activity linked to football,” a statement from Paratici’s legal team read.
“Paratici, assisted before FIFA by a team of lawyers made up of Paolo Lombardi, Luca Pastore and Ian Laing, will therefore be able to continue working in the world of football, albeit with reduced duties compared to those carried out to date, in compliance with the limits imposed by the sanction imposed by the FIGC.”
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The ruling means Paratici would not be able to return to the sort of role he had at either Juventus or Tottenham, although the latter have already moved on anyway and have begun identifying potential replacements for their director of football role.
Former Spurs assistant Cristian Stellini, who was dismissed as interim manager earlier this week, had previously pledged his support for Paratici.
“He’s a man who works with passion,” Stellini said. “I hope for him [to come back]. I am very close to him on a human level and I hope for him he will be back but it’s not my decision, it’s the decision of Fabio.
“All people deserve to have a second chance in their life. This is important for everyone but you have to work hard and be the best possible you can.”
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