´Innocent´ Criscito hits back

Italy’s Domenico Criscito has vowed to clear his name after being implicated in the ‘Scommessopoli’ match-fixing scandal.

Police issued the defender with a warrant from the public prosecutor of Cremona to search his room at the Azzurri’s training base at Coverciano on Monday and he was subsequently withdrawn from Cesare Prandelli’s provisional squad for Euro 2012.

There is reportedly some suspicion surrounding the outcome of a game involving Criscito’s former club Genoa and Lazio, and photographs have emerged of the left-back meeting fans with fellow defender Giuseppe Sculli, who has also been implicated in the affair.

However, Criscito insists that there was nothing untoward about the gathering and has promised to prove his innocence at the earliest opportunity.

“I want to be heard in Cremona as soon as possible in order to clarify everything,” he told Il Corriere dello Sport.

“I have not got anything to do with this story. I was only speaking with Genoa supporters.”

Meanwhile, the player’s representative, Andrea D’Amico, is adamant that his client is not guilty of any wrongdoing.

“They (Sculli and Criscito) just went to a meeting with the fans after a derby loss,” the agent told Sky Sport Italia.

“He’s calm, even if surprised by all of this. But he’s an honest guy and a warrant is a tool for the protection of suspects, not a judgment of conviction. Too often this is forgotten in Italy.”

Meanwhile, Italian football federation (FIGC) vice-president Demetrio Albertini has given his backing to the Zenit defender.

“He was sorry for the repercussions on the national team and on the dressing room,” the former Italy midfielder told reporters after announcing that Criscito would not be travelling to Euro 2012.

“He explained some things to me, and I believe his version and in his innocence.”

Criscito, who has been capped 19 times by his country, joined Zenit from Genoa in 2011.geona

Source : http://www.soccernews.com/%c2%b4innocent%c2%b4-criscito-hits-back/95408/

Ocampo set for FIFA ethics arm World Soccer Shop

The chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court is set to become FIFA's first head of the new ethics committee's investigations arm.

Ocampo: Set for new FIFA role

Luis-Moreno Ocampo, 66, who has led investigations into a number of war crimes cases is standing down from his ICC position in The Hague next month.

The Argentinian is expected to be confirmed as the chairman of the FIFA ethics committee investigations chamber next month, and would be responsible for investigating any allegations of corruption or ethics rule breaches.

Four people were shortlisted as candidates but Ocampo has emerged as the top choice.

Ocampo is a renowned lawyer who made his name prosecuting members of the Argentina junta who were found guilty of organising the disappearance of thousands of political opponents during the 1970s and 80s.

He was appointed as the first chief prosecutor of the ICC in 2003, and has been responsible for bringing charges against a number of people accused of war crimes and human rights abuses including Mohammad Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam and former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo.

FIFA are splitting their ethics committee into two bodies, each with an independent chairman, as part of the reforms of the world governing body.

The investigations chamber will be responsible for bringing charges, and the other chamber for judging the cases. FIFA had identified a judge to chair the other chamber but a serious medical condition has led to a postponement of an announcement.

The ICC is separate from the special UN courts that have brought war crimes charges against Serbian leaders, and ex-Liberia president Charles Taylor.

In an interview in The Times last week, Ocampo said he had been against the Falklands War, adding "I don't like wars". He also spoke about being cleared of an allegation of sexual harassment four years ago, saying: "It's regrettable, and it's not nice to be accused publicly that you commit crimes, but it's part of the job."

Source : http://soccer365.com//news/european_news/general/17311/ocampo_set_for_fifa_ethics_arm