Points deductions recommended for Italy clubs
Reuters - Friday 01 June 2012, 14:33
Points deductions for clubs
involved in Italy's latest match-fixing scandal were recommended
by the football federation's prosecutor on Friday, a day after top
flight Atalanta were handed a two-point penalty for next term.
A federation spokesman said the prosecutor had asked for
Pescara, promoted to Serie A last month, to receive a two-point
penalty either for last season or next term.
The federation must rubber-stamp the prosecutor's requests
in the coming days. Pescara's promotion is not under threat
given the Serie B champions were three points clear of third
place.
Pescara are already set to be without coach Zdenek Zeman who
is joining AS Roma.
Top flight Siena and former Serie A side Sampdoria should
receive fines of 50,000 euros for their involvement in
the illgal betting affair, prosecutor Stefano Palazzi added.
Antonio Conte, coach of Serie A champions Juventus, has been
put under police investigation because of allegations of
match-fixing while he was in charge of Siena in the 2010/11
season. He denies wrongdoing.
Bergamo-based Atalanta already had six points deducted last
season but further investigations led to the new punishment
along with an extra two-year ban for former player Cristiano
Doni.
Last August, Doni was suspended for three and a half years
for his part in the Calcioscommesse match-fixing scandal
involving Serie B matches.
On Friday, Palazzi called for relegated Serie A side Novara
to start next term with a six-point deduction while relegated
Serie B side AlbinoLeffe could have 27 points wiped off for next
season.
He also wants a myriad of points penalties and fines for
other Serie B sides as well as Coppa Italia exclusion for some
teams and lengthy bans for a raft of second-tier players.
Italy was only just recovering from a 2006 match-fixing
scandal when the latest affair flared up last year.
Allegations have continued to flow for months and this week
left back Domenico Criscito was left out of Italy's Euro 2012
squad after police said he was formally under investigation.