ITALY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: National coach Cesare Prandelli says Italy's latest matchfixing scandal will cause great damage but those found guilty must be punished

Record ID: 861199

  • Title: ITALY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: National coach Cesare Prandelli says Italy's latest matchfixing scandal will cause great damage but those found guilty must be punished
  • Date: 29th May 2012
  • Summary: GROUP OF YOUNG FANS APPLAUDING FROM STANDS
  • Embargoed: 13th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • City:
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Crime,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6D9U7JMZV0JI2G7BRH9Z9C842
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  • Story Text: Italy left back Domenico Criscito will miss the European Championship next month after police turned up at the Azzurri's training camp on Monday (May 28) and formally put the Zenit St Petersburg player under investigation in a match-fixing probe.
    Criscito, who prosecutors allege was photographed in a restaurant with match-fixing suspects while still a Genoa player in 2011, told reporters: "I have nothing to do with this. I was only out for dinner with some Genoa fans."
    Coach Cesare Prandelli was in the process of whittling his 32-man squad down to 25 when police arrived.
    Prandelli told a news conference of the emotional meeting he had with Criscito after the news broke.
    "For the first few minutes we just couldn't speak. But then when I managed to get hold of my emotions the first thing I asked him was whether his wife and son were ok, if they were in a safe place," said Prandelli.
    Prandelli also cut Emiliano Viviano, Marco Verratti, Davide Astori, Salvatore Bocchetti, Luca Cigarini and Ezequiel Schelotto from his Euro squad with two more names to follow before UEFA's Tuesday midday deadline.
    Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci has also been linked to match-fixing in testimony from a probe in Bari, where he used to play, but is not under formal investigation and will go to the tournament in Ukraine and Poland.
    Prandelli said the latest allegations would cause damage to the sport in Italy, adding: "All of us should really strive for a change..... all those who have done wrong have to punished."
    The latest match-fixing probe has stunned Italy and led to some high-profile arrests on Monday as well as Criscito being warned.
    Serie A title-winning Juventus coach Antonio Conte is also under formal investigation over his time as Siena boss.
    Italian soccer was last embroiled in a major match-fixing affair in 2006 - the year the national team won the World Cup.
    Italy face Spain, Croatia and Ireland in Euro 2012 Group C with their first game against the Spanish holders in Gdansk on June 10.
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