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Mass arrest for match-fixing rocks Italian football

Comment: 0 December 20th, 2011 by: admin

A TOTAL of 17 arrests were made across Italy as a result of ongoing investigations on alleged match-fixing and illegal betting.

The arrests were conducted in several Italian cities, with examinations conducted by officials from Italian city Cremona focusing on the last two seasons of the Serie B.  Current findings pin club Atalanta, which had been promoted to the Serie A during last season’s end, as having conducted illegal activity during three matches.

These findings have resulted in the arrest of former Atalanta captain Cristiano Doni, who is currently suspected of attempting to destroy evidence.  Other names include former Inter Milan and Roma player Luigi Sartor, and Allessandro Zamperini, who played in the Serie B division.

Also involved were currently active players such as Carlo Gervasoni (Piacenza) and Filippo Carobbio (Spezia).

The charges determined from the enquiry include criminal association and sporting fraud.

Several fixtures said to have been involved in the activities include Serie A games Brescia vs. Bari, Brescia vs. Lecce and Napoli vs. Sampadoria.

The investigation follows a previous enquiry on the matter conducted a year before, resulting in several suspensions and bans.  Among those sanctioned was Doni, who received a three-and-a-half year ban from the disciplinary body of the Italian Football Federation.

Commenting on the controversy, Cremona prosecutor Roberto Di Martino is confident that the arrests could yield positive results in the future in terms of the elimination of similar illegal activities.

‘This is not the end, but just a starting point,’ said Di Martino.  ‘Let’s hope it’s a starting point in cleaning up the beautiful game that is football.’

The official continued to reveal that one of the individuals arrested has admitted that the activities have been going on for over a decade.

‘At the top of the organisation are men from Singapore, who are those who move the money, but the shareholders are divided from the West, to the Far East, to South America and they manage with their own men how to change the outcome of football matches.’

According to reports, the investigation has led to the deduction of six points from Atalanta.  Doni, meanwhile, maintains his innocence.

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