What can Comolli and Chiellini do and what can they not do during ban
Juventus directors Damien Comolli and Giorgio Chiellini have both earned bans after the controversial Derby d’Italia in Serie A over the weekend, so what are they allowed to do and what are they prohibited from doing during their suspensions?
Why were Juventus directors Comolli and Chiellini banned?
CEO Comolli has been handed a fine of €15,000 and has been given a ban until the end of March as a result of his actions towards the match officials during the Derby d’Italia against Inter on Saturday evening. Chiellini has been banned until the end of February.
Comolli was punished by the sports judge in Italy “for having adopted an aggressive and seriously intimidating attitude towards the match official in the tunnel at the end of the first half, seeking physical contact with him, which was prevented thanks to the intervention of the Juventus coach and other members of the coaching staff.”
Comolli also made “seriously insulting remarks towards the match official and repeated such behaviour outside the referees’ dressing room.”
Chiellini was sanctioned “for having disrespectfully challenged the referee’s actions in the tunnel at the end of the first half and also repeating this behaviour outside the referees’ dressing room.”
He also “made offensive and critical remarks towards the match officials. This latter violation was reported by an assistant.”
The Juventus directors’ remarks and actions towards referee Federico La Penna and his team came after the 42nd-minute decision to send off Pierre Kalulu for a second bookable offence.
It has since been confirmed by refereeing designator Gianluca Rocchi that a mistake was made by sending off Kalulu, given that Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni, who was carrying a yellow card himself at the time, had dived in an attempt to get his opponent sent off.
What are Comolli and Chiellini allowed to do during bans?
According to article 9 in the sporting code of justice (Codice di Giustizia Sportiva), banned directors are prohibited from representing their clubs in national and international events, are prohibited from interacting with federal bodies, are prohibited from entering the dressing room on matchdays and are prohibited from holding meetings with players, club members or agents.
The latter of those prohibitions would have been particularly damning had the transfer window still been open, as neither Comolli nor Chiellini would have been able to sign off on incoming signings.
For now, Comolli and Chiellini will not be able to hold talks with players’ agents over potential contract extensions either, which means that a renewal for Weston McKennie, whose current deal will expire at the end of the 2026-27, could be temporarily put on hold.
As explained by La Gazzetta dello Sport, these sanctions currently apply within Italy, and it is unlikely that the FIGC will push for the bans to be upheld by UEFA or FIFA, as was done when Fabio Paratici earned a 30-month suspension in 2023.
Comolli and Chiellini are still allowed to carry out administrative tasks within the club, and are still permitted to represent the club and, where applicable, exercise their right to vote in meetings between the club and the league.