Milan (AFP) – Football agent Mino Raiola, whose high-profile clients include Manchester United star Paul Pogba, has won an appeal against a three-month ban in Italy, Gazzetta Dello Sport reported on Thursday.
Raiola, 51, was banned by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) last April with FIFA’s disciplinary committee extending the sanctions worldwide in May.
However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne on Wednesday suspended the worldwide ban on appeal, and it was overturned by the Federal Court of Appeal in Italy on Thursday.
Raiola and his cousin Vincenzo had been suspended from transfer activity reportedly for their alleged poaching of former PSV Eindhoven youth player Gianluca Scamacca, now with Italian club Sassuolo, from his agents.
Raiola, who also represents LA Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt, said the initial sanctions in Italy were “based on false grounds and lies”.
“I guess the Italian Football Association has not forgiven me when I have pointed to my critics for their role in the disastrous state of Italian football, as well as their role around the latest episode of the racism problem,” said the 51-year-old.
