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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Passport scandal hits Argentina | Passport scandal hits Argentina |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The authorities in Argentina say they have uncovered a multi-million dollar operation in forged Italian passports. | The authorities in Argentina say they have uncovered a multi-million dollar operation in forged Italian passports. |
| Many of those being investigated are professional footballers. | Many of those being investigated are professional footballers. |
| It is thought they use the false passports to overcome the limit on the number of non-European Union foreigners playing in the Italian league. | It is thought they use the false passports to overcome the limit on the number of non-European Union foreigners playing in the Italian league. |
| The scandal came to light when the Italian consul in Buenos Aires did not recognise the signatures on Italian passports issued there. | The scandal came to light when the Italian consul in Buenos Aires did not recognise the signatures on Italian passports issued there. |
| A judge, Norberto Oyarbide, launched an investigation which resulted in hundreds of police raids across Argentina. | A judge, Norberto Oyarbide, launched an investigation which resulted in hundreds of police raids across Argentina. |
| It's not only footballers who are benefiting from the scandal, officials say - but in football-mad Argentina, which has hundreds of players playing abroad, they are the ones attracting the attention. | |
| There is a limit on the number of non-European Union nationals who can play for each club - but claiming Italian nationality is one way around that rule. | There is a limit on the number of non-European Union nationals who can play for each club - but claiming Italian nationality is one way around that rule. |
| Many Argentines, and therefore Argentine footballers, have Italian ancestry. | Many Argentines, and therefore Argentine footballers, have Italian ancestry. |
| However, they can get an illegal passport in a few days for $30,000 (£15,000) - while the official one could take several months, or even years. | However, they can get an illegal passport in a few days for $30,000 (£15,000) - while the official one could take several months, or even years. |
| The spotlight is also shining on the small southern Italian village of Fagnano Castello, since several of the false documents named it as the birthplace of the great-grandparents of a number of the Argentine footballers being investigated. | The spotlight is also shining on the small southern Italian village of Fagnano Castello, since several of the false documents named it as the birthplace of the great-grandparents of a number of the Argentine footballers being investigated. |