ROME: The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) yesterday handed down a two-point deduction to Pescara for their role in the ongoing sports-betting, match-fixing scandal known as Calcioscommesse.
Pescara were promoted to Serie A at the end of the season just finished, and will kick off the 2012-13 campaign in the top flight with minus two points.
In addition, Novara, who were relegated to Serie B, were handed a four-point penalty and third-tier Albinoleffe — the small club at the heart of the Calcioscommesse investigation — were deducted 15 points.
Four players were also handed bans by the FIGC’s disciplinary committee.
Luigi Sartor, who played for Inter Milan, Parma and Roma but is now retired, was banned from all footballing activity for five years along with Mario Cassano, Alessandro Zamperini and Nicola Santoni.
These bans are the longest handed down in the investigation so far.
In total the FIGC have so far punished 21 teams and 52 players.
Serie A side Atalanta were last month given a two-point deduction, applicable from the start of next season, for their part in the affair, while Lazio captain Stefano Mauri was arrested on suspicion of involvement.
Italy full-back Domenico Criscito was dropped from the Azzurri’s squad for Euro 2012 after police searched his room at the national team’s pre-tournament training camp, and the home of Juventus coach Antonio Conte was also searched.
Termed Calcioscommesse, which translates as ‘football betting’, the scandal centers on players being paid to fix matches, mostly in the lower divisions but also in Serie A.
Pescara, four players penalized for match-fixing
