Farina rewarded for honesty by Prandelli
Reuters - Friday 23 December 2011, 15:00
A second-tier Italian player
has been called up to train with the national team as a reward
for turning his back on a match-fixing scam, Italian media
reported on Friday.
Defender Simone Farina, who plays for Serie B side Gubbio,
has been invited by Italy coach Cesare Prandelli to join his
squad in the new year.
Farina, 29, told police he had refused a 200,000 euro
offer to fix an Italian Cup match between Cesena and
Gubbio on November 30.
"I loved what he did, he has shown great courage and
extraordinary inner strength," Prandelli was quoted as saying by
Gazzetta dello Sport.
However, Gubbio club president Marco Fioriti warned against
treating Farina as a hero.
"His behaviour was normal, a normal person who has sound
principles in mind," he said on the club website.
"So he is to be admired for the courage he has shown and for
the honesty, but let's not make him a hero."