Atalanta deducted points over match-fixing
Reuters - Tuesday 09 August 2011, 13:00
MILAN - Promoted Atalanta had six points
deducted and their captain, former Italy midfielder Cristiano
Doni, was suspended for three-and-a-half years on Tuesday by the
Italian football federation (FIGC) over alleged match-fixing.
Retired former Lazio and Italy striker Giuseppe Signori was
banned for five years from any football-related activity, the
FIGC added in a statement, with the probability he will be
blocked from any involvement for good.
They were among 17 individuals suspended for between one and
five years and an equal number of clubs, all except Atalanta
outside the top division, to have points deducted or be fined in
the betting scandal.
The federation said Atalanta's punishment will take effect
for the coming season, meaning the team will begin their first
campaign back in the top flight with minus six points when Serie
A kicks off at the end of this month.
Atalanta, now odds-on favourites for relegation, are
appealing.
"We are counting on reducing the points penalty on appeal.
We have strong hopes," Atalanta lawyer Luigi Chiappero told
reporters.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
Serie B team Ascoli will also have six points deducted while
third division Alessandria Calcio were demoted.
The clubs and individuals were cited by the FIGC's sporting
prosecutor following a criminal investigation into a betting
scam which had initially centred on 18 games in the second tier
Serie B and Italy's lower divisions.
Police said they had found evidence of an organised system
among former and current footballers, sports betting operators
and others to manipulate the results of a number of football matches.
They said bets worth tens of thousands of euros, and in some
cases hundreds of thousands, had been placed on matches.
The investigation was triggered by a Serie B match in
Cremona last season which aroused suspicions that led to a wider
probe.
Fellow top flight side Chievo avoided any points penalty
after paying a fine following a plea bargain earlier in the
process.
Italian football had only just recovered from a 2006
match-fixing scandal which led Juventus to be demoted to Serie
B.
Doni played for Italy at the 2002 World Cup but at 38 is now
likely to retire.