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New Calciopoli revelations	Friday 6 November, 2009

A witness at the Calciopoli trial in Naples has spoken of his belief that balls used to draw referees for games in the 2004-05 season were in fact 'tricked'. Manfredi Martino, the former secretary to the National Refereeing Commission [CAN] also alleged that former referee designator Paolo Bergamo and Pierluigi Pairetto asked him to put pieces of paper with the names of certain referees into specific balls. “On two occasions Bergamo and Pairetto told me explicitly to put the names of certain games and the names of certain referees into the balls that were easily recognisable,” Martino said. He went on to explain how the balls were recognisable, saying that they were discoloured and looked as if they had been used before. Martino spoke specifically about the draw between a match between Milan and Juventus, which at the time was being billed as a title decider. “My sensation during the draw for the referee for that game was that something hadn't gone right because there was a strange bout of coughing from Bergamo when the journalist employed to make the draw chose the referees' yellow ball.” The testimony has come under scrutiny even from chief prosecutor Giuseppe Narducci. Luciano Moggi's lawyer Maurilio Prioreschi also asked Martino: “Why didn't you say so before?” To which Martino responded: “Perhaps I said it and the Carabinieri didn't verbalise it.” The trial continues.