BBC SPORT | FOOTBALL | European football's passports scandal

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BBC Sport Online chronicles the Europe-wide passport scandal after Lazio's Argentine midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron and club owner Sergio Cragnotti are charged with allegedly falsifying papers.

The bogus passport scandal sweeping European football threatens to further tarnish the game's already sullied image.

As European clubs turn more and more to foreign imports at attractive prices, the post-Bosman rule of five non-EU players and three on the field at any one time appears to be causing serious repercussions throughout the sport.

Such is the incentive for players to obtain the necessary papers to qualify as an EU national and avoid the need for a work permit altogether, that some are reportedly willing to falsify their documents.

ITALY:

The Italian authorities have filed charges against Lazio's star Argentine midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron and club owner Sergio Cragnotti for allegedly falsifying documents used in Veron's request for Italian naturalisation. Trial begins on 11 October.

The Italian Football Federation charges AS Roma and two of the club's former players - Brazilian Fabio Junior and Argentine Gustavo Bartelt - with allegedly using false documents to circumvent league limits on foreign players.

Inter Milan's Uruguayan striker Alvaro Recoba also caught up in alleged passport irregularities. But the Italian Football Federation's decision to scrap the "three-player" rule it considered "illegal" on 5 May means that Recoba will probably escape further investigation.

Lazio initiated proceedings against Fabio Capello, coach of city rivals Roma, after his well-publicised remarks that clubs found guilty of fielding illegal players should be heavily punished. Lazio blame him for a fall in the value of their shares.

Vicenza's Brazilian players Capucho and Leoni accused of possessing false Portuguese passports.

Udinese's Brazilians Warley and Alberto discovered with fake Portuguese passports for a Uefa Cup game in Poland. Eighteen-year-old Paraguayan Alejandro Da Silva's illegal document also signed by same non-existent Portuguese official.

Three young Africans playing for Sampdoria also under investigation.

FRANCE:

St Etienne are docked six points (reduced from seven) for fielding Brazilian striker Alex and Ukranian keeper Maxim Levytsky, both of whom were subsequently banned for holding forged documents. Striker Aloisio also banned for false papers, but he is currently injured.

St Etienne's general manager Gerald Soler and administrative director Didier Lacombe placed under official investigation for their alleged involvement in the falsification of documents.

Paris court bans three South American footballers from entering France for two years for using falsely obtained passports to play in the French league. Faryd Montragon of Colombia, Pablo Contreras of Chile and Emiliano Romay of Argentina used Greek and Italian passports to evade five-player rule.

SPAIN:

The Spanish Football Federation instructs its players from countries outside the European Union to prove they have genuine dual nationality.

There are 63 players in the top two divisions, 27 of whom are South Americans who have dual Italian nationality.

Stars from last year's champions Deportivo La Coruna as well as clubs like Valencia and Zaragoza are included in this list.

Ivory Coast midfielder Idrissa Keita, a first team regular with top flight side Real Oviedo, temporarily suspended by the Spanish football federation for allegedly holding a false French passport.

Martin Herrera, the goalkeeper for Uefa Cup finalists Alaves, also suspended for using a false Italian passport, but subsequently succeeded in proving his Italian origins and was allowed to play on.

Espanyol's Delio Cesar Toledo has his playing licence suspended on the suspicion that the Paraguayan-born player's official players were suspect.


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