2001 European football fake passports scandal

Attempt to evade non-EU player cap rules In 2001, a fake passport scandal affected several major football leagues in the European Union, when it was discovered that teams had been evading rules limiting the number of non-European Union players by obtaining fake passports.European football's passports scandal http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1318931.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 8 May 2001 The story began in Italy, where it is also referred to as Passaportopoli.Zara Furio La dogana di Varsavia, l'inchiesta, lo scandalo: così 24 anni fa esplose Passaportopoli Warsaw customs, the investigation, the scandal: how Passaportopoli exploded 24 years ago https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Udinese/31-10-2024/la-dogana-di-varsavia-l-inchiesta-lo-scandalo-cosi-24-anni-fa-esplose-passaportopoli_preview.shtml 28 November 2025 La Gazzetta dello Sport 31 October 2024 Italian The story broke in late 2000, when four South American players of Udinese were found to be using fake Portuguese passports. An Italian Football Federation panel issued fines to clubs including Udinese, Lazio, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Sampdoria. Inter's Álvaro Recoba was banned for a year, reduced to four months on appeal, and pleaded guilty in court and received a fine. Lazio's Juan Sebastián Verón was acquitted by both the league and the judiciary. In France, Saint-Étienne received a seven-point deduction relating to three players, but the action was suspended by a court. Three players from three other clubs received two-year bans from entering France. The scandal also affected Spain and England. Italy thumb|Alberto Valentim was one of two Brazilian Udinese players arrested in Poland for use of a fake Portuguese passport in September 2000, triggering the scandal. At the time of the scandal, teams in Italy were allowed to start a match with no more than three players without a European Union nationality.Inter face eight-point penalty http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/1167870.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 13 February 2001 The scandal broke in Italy on 14 September 2000, when Udinese's Brazilian pair Warley and Alberto Valentim were arrested on entry to Poland for possession of fake Portuguese passports. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and magistrates in Udine investigated and two more Udinese players – Paraguayan Alejandro da Silva and Brazilian Jorginho Paulista – were ordered to leave Italy. Communication with the Portuguese embassy established that the civil servant alleged to have signed their documents did not exist.Fake passport scandal hits Serie A http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/962023.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 8 October 2000 The four players were banned for a year in June 2001 and the club fined £1 million. Lazio midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón, from Argentina, was alleged to have irregularities in his naturalisation as an Italian citizen by descent. In June 2001, the FIGC cleared Verón and club president Sergio Cragnotti, while club director Felicie Pulici was banned for a year and the club was fined £666,000. It was found that Verón and his club had been tricked by intermediaries in order to obtain an Italian passport.Kennedy Frances Players banned over false passport scandal https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/players-banned-over-false-passport-scandal-9159027.html 28 November 2025 The Independent 28 June 2001 In February 2007, Verón, Cragnotti, Pulici and others were acquitted in court, while Buenos Aires lawyer Elena Tedaldi received a suspended sentence of 15 months and Fagnano Castello civil servant Gianfranco Orsomanso was sent to prison for three months; Verón's Italian nationality was revoked.Absuelven a Verón Verón acquitted https://www.infobae.com/2007/02/23/303255-absuelven-veron/ 28 November 2025 Infobae 23 February 2007 Spanish thumb|upright|Álvaro Recoba received a suspension from the Italian Football Federation, and pleaded guilty in court in 2006. Inter Milan player Álvaro Recoba, of Uruguay, was banned for a year in June 2001. On appeal, his suspension was cut to four months in October, provided that he do community service for the league. The club's fine was cut from €1 million to €725,000.Recoba ban cut to four months https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/017e-0f8432e28bbd-fde03ad54929-1000--recoba-ban-cut-to-four-months/ 28 November 2025 UEFA 12 October 2001 In May 2006, Recoba and Inter director Gabriele Oriali pleaded guilty at court in Udine to forgery and receiving stolen goods (an Italian driving licence). Per their plea bargain, a six-month prison sentence was replaced by a €21,420 fine.Passaporti falsi: patteggiano Recoba e Oriali Fake passports: Recoba and Oriali plead guilty https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Squadre/Inter/Primo_Piano/2006/05_Maggio/25/patteggia.shtml 28 November 2025 La Gazzetta dello Sport 25 May 2006 Italian Newly crowned Italian champions Roma lost Gustavo Bartelt (Argentina) and Fábio Júnior (Brazil) to year-long suspensions in addition to a £500,000 fine in June 2001. AC Milan goalkeeper Dida was also banned for a year and his club fined £300,000. Sampdoria received a £500,000 and six-month suspensions for Cameroonians Jean Ondoa, Thomas Job and Francis Zé. Brazilians Jeda and Dede of Vicenza were also banned. During the investigation into Recoba, Inter had been threatened with an eight-point deduction, which could have jeopardised their status as the only team to never be relegated from Serie A. In the end, no club was given a points deduction, a decision criticised by Reggina president Lillo Foti. France At the time of the scandal, French teams were permitted to field three players without European Union nationality.St Etienne punished in passport probe http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/1121010.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 16 January 2001 In January 2001, relegation-threatened Saint-Étienne was given a seven-point deduction for the fake documentation of two players: Brazilian forward Alex (Portuguese passport) and Ukrainian goalkeeper Maksym Levytskyi (Greek passport) received four-month bans with the latter half a suspended sentence. In May, a civil court suspended the French Football Federation's decision to deduct the points, pending further investigation.St Etienne could be saved http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/1336770.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 17 May 2001 The documents of all 78 non-EU players in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 were investigated by police.Players banned in fake passport scandal http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/1260498.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 4 April 2001 Apart from the Saint-Étienne players, three more players went through disciplinary action: Faryd Mondragón (Colombian playing for Metz on a Greek passport), Pablo Contreras (Chilean playing for Monaco on an Italian passport), and Emiliano Romay (Argentinian playing for Nice on an Italian passport). At a league panel in February, Mondragón was acquitted due to cooperating, while the other two were banned for four months. In April, a court banned all three from entering France for two years and fined them between £15,000 and £30,000; only Mondragón was still playing in France at the time and only he attended the trial. Monaco was also docked two points. Spain Real Oviedo midfielder Idrissa Keita, of the Ivory Coast, arrived in Spain in 1997 on a French passport; the French embassy informed the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that this was fake. He was withdrawn by the club to be re-registered as one of three non-EU players, and suspended by the league in April.Ivorian suspended by Spanish FA http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/1287573.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 20 April 2001 Alavés goalkeeper Martín Herrera, from Argentina, was suspended for one game until his Italian passport was proven to be legitimate.Alaves player profiles http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/uefa_cup/1330072.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 15 May 2001 Delio Toledo, a Paraguayan player for Espanyol with a Spanish passport, was suspended by the RFEF in February 2001.Toledo suspended in passport row http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/1186295.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 23 February 2001 In July 2002, facing a one-year prison sentence and fine of 1.8 million Spanish pesetas (€10,000), he was acquitted by a criminal court.Toledo fue absuelto de falsedad de documento Toledo was acquitted of fake documents https://as.com/masdeporte/2002/07/30/polideportivo/1028002486_850215.html 28 November 2025 Diario AS 30 July 2002 Spanish England At the time of the scandal, English football did not have a cap on non-EU players, but required them to be regular international players in order to obtain a work permit.Fudge Simon Wenger bemoans permit rules https://www.skysports.com/football/news/2359161/wenger-bemoans-permit-rules 28 November 2025 Sky Sports In February 2001, police in England announced an investigation into 80 players born outside the European Union and playing under EU passports.English clubs face passport probe http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1161841.stm 28 November 2025 BBC Sport 9 February 2001 In September 2001, the Immigration Services announced an investigation into former Arsenal pair Sylvinho (Brazilian on a Portuguese passport) and Tomas Danilevičius (Lithuanian on a Greek passport); they had both already departed to Celta Vigo and Beveren, respectively.Bradley Mark Police look at three more passport cases https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news/police-look-at-three-more-passport-cases-9215834.html 28 November 2025 The Independent 13 September 2001 Sylvinho said that he had been registered as Portuguese without his knowledge.O'Rourke Peter I had to leave Gunners - Silvinho https://www.skysports.com/football/news/2217946/i-had-to-leave-gunners-silvinho 28 November 2025 Sky Sports Newcastle United player Nolberto Solano had joined the club in 1998 with a work permit due to his international performances for Peru, but was later registered under a Greek passport obtained through ancestry. After a four-year investigation, he was cleared of any wrongdoing in July 2005.Solano in clear over passport https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/solano-in-clear-over-passport-1581804 4 November 2023 Evening Chronicle 6 July 2005 References Category:2001 scandals Category:Association football controversies Category:Sports scandals in Italy Category:Sports scandals in France Category:Sports scandals in England