[3] Gunther IV resigned as Agliana's president in June 1995, when team captain Carolina Morace kissed controversialist politician Vittorio Sgarbi during a segment of the Il processo di Biscardi television programme.
The decision of Maurizio Mian, who ran the Gunther Group controlling the dog's affairs, drew a withering response from Morace.
The club became known as "Verona Gunther" and signed Italy women's national football team players Stefania Antonini, Manuela Tesse, Raffaella Salmaso, Adele Marsiletti and Florinda Ciardi.
For publicity purposes they appointed a dog, a German shepherd called Gunther IV, as 'president' of the club and he attends all matches as the 'club's benefactor'.
"[7] A report in Die Tageszeitung was less charitable: "A fraudulent German shepherd haunts Italy's women's football and cannot get away from national player Morace".