Concurrent with the abolition of the quota system, the
Italian Football Federation (FIGC) investigated footballers from South America and Cameroon who had used fake
passports in order to enable their teams to field them as Europeans.
Alberto,
Warley,
Alejandro Da Silva and
Jorginho of
Udinese,
Fábio Júnior and
Gustavo Bartelt of Roma,
Dida of Milan,
Álvaro Recoba of Inter,
Thomas Job,
Francis Zé and
Jean Ondoa of
Sampdoria, and
Jeda and
André Leone of Vicenza were all handed bans in July 2001, ranging from six months to one year. However, most of these bans were subsequently reduced. ==Personnels and sponsoring==