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Yet again...
Italian football rocked by fresh match-fixing scandal
"¢ Giuseppe Signori among 16 arrested on suspicion of corruption
"¢ Police believe players were drugged as part of match-fixing
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Five years after the Calciopoli scandal Italian football has been rocked by fresh controversy after police made 16 arrests as part of an investigation into an alleged betting and match-fixing ring, with current and recently retired players believed to be among the ringleaders.
Giuseppe Signori, a former Italy international and Lazio captain and one of the country's best-loved players, was among several players, executives and bookmakers arrested as part of Cremona police's Ultima Scommessa (Last Bet) investigation. Signori told Italian media: "Have some mercy. I can't say anything. I will meet my lawyer and then he'll speak for me."
The Italian football federation has promised to co-operate with the investigation, which is focusing on 17 matches in Serie B and Italian non-league, and one failed attempt at fixing a Serie A match. The six-month investigation began in response to last November's match between Paganese and Cremonese, when it was alleged players had their drinks spiked in an attempt to hamper their performance, with several falling ill during the game.
Police said the investigation had produced evidence of an organised system among former and current footballers, sports-betting operators and others to manipulate results, with bets worth tensof thousands of euros, and in some cases hundreds of thousands of euros, placed on the outcome.
Police have said that several well-known players are also being investigated, prompting allegations that the Atalanta and former Italy midfielder Cristiano Doni was among them. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Doni helped ensure at least three goals were scored in his side's meeting with Piacenza in March this year.
According to the same source another former Italy international, Stefano Bettarini, who has a previous match-fixing conviction, and the former Como midfielder Mauro Bressan and the former Bari captain Antonio Bellavista are also under investigation.
A statement from the 38-year-old's representatives read: "Cristiano Doni, certain that he has always acted in respect of the rules, has the utmost faith in the organs of criminal and sporting justice and is sure they will prove he has absolutely nothing to do with the issues under discussion."
The Italian football federation's general director Antonello Valentini said: "The federation will cooperate with the investigation and will defend the interests of the football image as well as correctness and transparency of the football bodies.
"We trust the work that is being done by the authorities and we give our maximum cooperation but at the same time we request caution and prudence considering the delicate procedures as we await more information."
In 2006 Italian football suffered a serious dent to its credibility during the Calciopoli scandal in which police found six teams to have rigged matches by selecting favourable referees. Juventus were stripped of two Serie A titles and relegated to Serie B, while Fiorentina, Milan, Lazio and Reggina were sanctioned.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jun/02/italy-football-corruption-match-fixing
Italian football rocked by fresh match-fixing scandal
"¢ Giuseppe Signori among 16 arrested on suspicion of corruption
"¢ Police believe players were drugged as part of match-fixing
<DIV id=article--blocks sizcache="0" sizset="60">
Five years after the Calciopoli scandal Italian football has been rocked by fresh controversy after police made 16 arrests as part of an investigation into an alleged betting and match-fixing ring, with current and recently retired players believed to be among the ringleaders.
Giuseppe Signori, a former Italy international and Lazio captain and one of the country's best-loved players, was among several players, executives and bookmakers arrested as part of Cremona police's Ultima Scommessa (Last Bet) investigation. Signori told Italian media: "Have some mercy. I can't say anything. I will meet my lawyer and then he'll speak for me."
The Italian football federation has promised to co-operate with the investigation, which is focusing on 17 matches in Serie B and Italian non-league, and one failed attempt at fixing a Serie A match. The six-month investigation began in response to last November's match between Paganese and Cremonese, when it was alleged players had their drinks spiked in an attempt to hamper their performance, with several falling ill during the game.
Police said the investigation had produced evidence of an organised system among former and current footballers, sports-betting operators and others to manipulate results, with bets worth tensof thousands of euros, and in some cases hundreds of thousands of euros, placed on the outcome.
Police have said that several well-known players are also being investigated, prompting allegations that the Atalanta and former Italy midfielder Cristiano Doni was among them. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Doni helped ensure at least three goals were scored in his side's meeting with Piacenza in March this year.
According to the same source another former Italy international, Stefano Bettarini, who has a previous match-fixing conviction, and the former Como midfielder Mauro Bressan and the former Bari captain Antonio Bellavista are also under investigation.
A statement from the 38-year-old's representatives read: "Cristiano Doni, certain that he has always acted in respect of the rules, has the utmost faith in the organs of criminal and sporting justice and is sure they will prove he has absolutely nothing to do with the issues under discussion."
The Italian football federation's general director Antonello Valentini said: "The federation will cooperate with the investigation and will defend the interests of the football image as well as correctness and transparency of the football bodies.
"We trust the work that is being done by the authorities and we give our maximum cooperation but at the same time we request caution and prudence considering the delicate procedures as we await more information."
In 2006 Italian football suffered a serious dent to its credibility during the Calciopoli scandal in which police found six teams to have rigged matches by selecting favourable referees. Juventus were stripped of two Serie A titles and relegated to Serie B, while Fiorentina, Milan, Lazio and Reggina were sanctioned.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jun/02/italy-football-corruption-match-fixing