Source: REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
[Saba Sports News] According to Italian media reports, Napoli has been fined €230,000 for refusing to accept interviews from Dazn and is currently appealing. In March of this year, dissatisfied with Dazn’s handling of Napoli’s schedule as the official broadcaster of Serie A, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis announced that all players and coaches would no longer accept interviews from Dazn. However, Serie A regulations state: “The best-performing representative players and coaches must accept official media interviews after matches. Clubs will be penalized for violating broadcasting contracts.” Subsequently, the Italian Football Federation’s sports court fined Napoli €165,000 in the first instance; Napoli immediately appealed but was still found in breach of contract in the second instance and fined €230,000 instead. Reports indicate that Napoli has now filed a new appeal with the Italian Olympic Committee’s sports court seeking to overturn their penalty or dismiss the retrial and arrange for different judges to preside over the case. Additionally, Italian media have noted that this case reflects the ongoing tense relationship between President De Laurentiis and senior officials of the Italian Football Federation.