Trapani is one step away from the abyssand inevitably – although sorry for the dramatic sporting epilogue linked to a place of great value from every point of view – Germani is at the window. If the Sicilian club were to collapse, the Italian players (the last of whom Shark could-would like to release due to regulatory issues) would still in reality be free to settle wherever they see fit. The first meeting with the winger Riccardo Rossato took place weeks ago. The parties were ready to update each other in case of news. In these hours, the aforementioned news has not been lacking. The Venetian player would – however – be the first choice of the blue and white club in the event of the Trapani collapse.
Brescia would also lose what, on paper, at the beginning of the season, it was among the main competitors (Della Valle and his companions had lost, in Sicily, last November 2nd). To the 5 penalty points already imposed this season, 3 more were added today, for a total of eight. Shark, which – based on field results – would be third at 20, now finds itself mid-table at 12. And, at the moment, other penalty points cannot be ruled out in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, president Valerio Antonini has been banned for two years starting immediately. From the official bodies, the hand was very heavy.
The reconstruction
A lot has happened in the last few hours. The sporting director of the Sicilian club Valeriano D’Orta, after last Sunday’s home defeat against modest Varese, in relation to the issue of missed paymentshad lashed out against the Federation and had made it clear that he was ready not to send the team (currently without a real coach and now without key players) away to Bologna to challenge Virtus next Sunday. It is not yet known what the company will do. We will probably understand more on Wednesday, net of further nightly social media broadcasts from Valerio Antonini. But now the open fronts of irregularities seem too many.
That’s not all. Before closing the first leg the Shark would have a double Champions League challenge with Hapoel Holonbefore hosting Trento. On Monday, with a live broadcast lasting approximately nine minutes, Antonini – not skimping on colorful tones – lashed out against Fip and Legabasket, requesting the points taken back and threatening, otherwise, to unregister the team from the championship. A few hours later the penalty points were not only not removed, but were actually added. The inhibition has arrived. And, under the constant fine regime, at the moment every match played by Shark brings sums to the club that are not payable.
In the Trapani area, many believe it is “game over”. Beyond the aforementioned market implications, the championship would be distorted and “lame”, with odd teams, with rest periods. Unless, as hoped by Antonini himself, a buyer suddenly appears capable of carrying the team at least until the end of the season. The next few hours, with all the obligatory conditionals, would be decisive.
The Federation
In the meantime, here it is the first device of the Federation about the new penalty.
«The Federal Court, having deemed the preliminary objections raised by the appellant to be unacceptable, having considered that the conditions exist for the configuration of the violations of articles 59 and 61 RG against the President of Trapani Shark, Valerio Antonini and the Trapani Shark company, by way of strict liability; applies to the member Valerio Antonini, President of the Trapani Shark company, the sanction of inhibition in the amount deemed appropriate for two years, until 30 December 2027 pursuant to and for the purposes of article 59 RG and to the Trapani Shark Company the penalty of three points to be served in the current championship (2025-2026) pursuant to and for the purposes of article 61 RG”.
In the evening, a further specification from the FIP. Here is the text.
«Regarding the position of Trapani Shark srl, which was the subject of an extraordinary meeting of the Federal Council yesterday, we inform you that today the independent Commission for the verification of the economic and financial balance of professional sports clubs sent a note of clarification from the Revenue Agency – Provincial Directorate of Trapani – Control Office, which highlights how the residual debt not honored, charged to the Trapani company, does not concern a debt position in terms of VAT, but is attributable to the debit amounts reported in the F24 forms with which the use of the aforementioned non-existent VAT credits was made, i.e. to Irpef withholdings (and related additional ones) and unpaid social security contributions.
This clarification further confirms the validity of the positions and measures adopted by the Federation since the beginning of the matter, denying any repeated attempt at exploitation and specious opposition to the application of the Federal Rules”.
