Referees banned

The Italian Referees Association (AIA) said yesterday that it had suspended seven referees and two linesmen after an investigation by magistrates threw up new allegations of match-fixing.

Last week magistrates in Naples concluded a probe into match-fixing during the 2004-05 Serie A season by naming 48 people they suspected of wrongdoing.

All nine men suspended by the AIA were on the list, which included former Italian Football Federation staff, and present and former club officials.

Former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi, the central figure in last year's match-fixing scandal, was also among those the magistrates suspected of trying to influence the result of 40 Serie A matches - 15 of which did not feature in last year's trials.

No-one has been charged yet, though the Italian Football Federation could decide to open its own probe after its office of investigations examines the magistrates' findings.

Last year's trials ended with Juventus being stripped of their last two Serie A titles and sent down to the second-division Serie B.

Four other top-flight clubs - Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio, and Reggina - started this season with penalty points.