ROME (AFP) - Serie A strugglers Cagliari are off the bottom of the table after the Italian federal court of justice overturned a three-point penalty imposed on the Sardinians.

Cagliari had been docked points following a dispute with the Italian Football Federation (IFF) after the Sardinians took legal action against former player Gianluca Grassadonia, who in a newspaper interview accused Cagliari of doping violations and of having ties to groups of violent supporters.

Under IFF rules, however, clubs are obliged to either take their complaints before a sports tribunal or seek IFF clearance before taking such legal action.

On top of the three points deduction, the club was fined 20,000 euros while chairman Massimo Cellino was fined 10,000 euros and suspended from his position for a year.

But the Federal court's decision means that in-form Cagliari are now only goal difference away from escaping the bottom three.

"We would have been in trouble if we had not had the points we won on the field returned to us," said coach Davide Ballardini.

"We're happy but it doesn't change anything for us because we have to keep fighting to the end to achieve our objective of survival."

Empoli now prop up the table with 26 points, behind Reggina on 27 and Cagliari and Livorno on 28.

When Cagliari were docked the points they were left six points adrift of the second-from-bottom team and nine points from safety.

But three wins and a draw in their five matches since then has seen them clamber back into survival contention.