Juve coach banned
Juventus coach Antonio Conte has been banned for 10 months in relation to a match-fixing investigation.
The coach of the reigning Serie A champions had been accused of failing to report alleged match-fixing involving Siena when he managed them in the 2010-11 Serie B season.
Conte had a plea bargain deal rejected by the Italian federation (FIGC) earlier this month, a proposal which would have seen him serve a three-month suspension and pay a fine of 200,000 euros, and the federation have now confirmed the 10-month sanction.
Grosseto and Lecce have both been excluded from Serie B, the Italian second tier, for the 2012-13 season for their part in the scandal, with both clubs' former presidents banned for five years.
Charges against Conte of direct involvement in match-fixing were dismissed last month, but the FIGC are satisfied he was aware it was taking place during his time with Siena.
His assistant coach at Juve and formerly at Siena, Angelo Alessio, has also been banned for eight months, while former Lecce president Giovanni Semeraro and former Grosseto president Piero Camilli are facing even longer suspensions.
A statement from the FIGC read: "(These are) the judgments issued today by the National Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Sergio Artico,in relation to two cases of match-fixing.
"Among the officials, the more severe penalties are those of the president of Grosseto, Camilli, and the former president of Lecce, Semeraro, (for both a five-year ban); the disqualification of 10 months for Antonio Conte, currently coach of Juventus, and for eight months his deputy Angelo Alessio."
Semeraro sold Lecce in June, ending an 18-year association with the club.
In a statement released by the FIGC, it was confirmed Serie B side Novara have been docked two points while top-flight Bologna and fourth-tier Ancona face fines of 30,000 euros and 10,000 euros respectively.
Lecce have also been fined 30,000 euros in addition to their demotion, having been accused - along with Grosseto - of direct involvement in match-fixing rather than the lesser charge of failing to report it.
The FIGC also confirmed former Bari defender Nicola Belmonte has been banned from football for six months but six other players - Leonardo Bonucci, Simone Pepe, Marco di Vaio, Salvatore Masiello, Daniele Padelli and Giuseppe Vives - have been acquitted of the charges against them.
In total, 45 people and 13 clubs were under investigation, among them Conte's old club Siena, who last week accepted a six-point deduction in a plea bargain deal.
Serie A newcomers Torino, Serie B side Varese and relegated Albinoleffe will pay fines of 30,000 euros and begin the season with one-point penalties after their plea bargains were also accepted.
Juventus issued a statement saying they would offer their help in an appeal against the bans for Conte and Alessio.
"Juventus Football Club warmly welcomes the acquittal of its players Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe, and reiterates its full support for Antonio Conte and Angelo Alessio in the hope the next stage of the process will finally prove their innocence," read the statement.
"A group of legal professionals have been appointed by the individuals concerned and, with the full support of the club, is already working to prepare grounds for an appeal."
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Marco Galea
Aug 10th 2012, 15:00
Nixtieq HAFNA li l-esperti li qed jifirhu hawn taht jirrisponduni fuq:
1. liem provi giet ibbazata din is-sentenza?
2. la Masiello mhux kredibbli, it-23 xhur ta' Conte ha jitressqu akkuzati b'gideb taht gurament falz?
3. Masiello ha jehel daqs pentito jew daqs hati?
4. Kif Carobbio, mastermind wara kollox wehel 4 xhur u Conte akkuzat biss li ma rrapurtax wehel 10 xhur?
DIn hi l-(in)gustizzja Taljana! Hati sakhemm ma tippruvax mod iehor!
Charles Grima
Aug 10th 2012, 15:08
Ghandek ragun tilmenta habib...
1. Fuq Xejn. La ritratti, la hasil ta flus, la kitba, la telefonati...assolutament xejn!
2. Bilfors... kienu xi 26 fil kamra...
3. Ta pentito... xi 4 xhur.
4. Ghax Juventin b'qalb kbira!
Charles Grima
Aug 10th 2012, 13:53
This happens only in Italy... a convicted felon, after all, has more say than somebody who has no opportunity to defend his innocence...why would Conte risk a career by getting nothing out of a deal? Siena needed only 2 points from 15 to be promoted, and Novara were already there!
And Carobbio only played 10 minutes in that match, touching a couple of passes... that's all!
Knowing Conte's style, he would never accept a draw, let alone a fixed one!
I see that nobody is harping about Bonucci and Pepe being totally absolved of anything.
John Micallef
Aug 10th 2012, 13:46
Dan hu ezempju car kif il FIGC u il hbieb taghha jipprovaw jahdmu kontra il Juventus. Alla jbierek issa inqatat is sentenza... gurnata qabel ma il Juve jaffrontaw in Napli... Fuq Conte ma hemm l-ebda prova hlief ta wiehed li qed jispara bl-addocc biex taparsi ikkolabora mal gustizzja u ha jehel inqas. Kulhadd jafu dan il-fatt. Conte wara l-appelli jmissu jtella hafna nies il qorti ghad danni u l-istess misshom jaghmlu bonucci u pepe u il bqijja li inhelsu illum.
Fil Calciopoli il-Juve mill istess palazzi instabu innocenti imma xorta baqatilhom ma wicchom... ghax Palazzi kumbinazjoni lesta ir rapport xaghar wara li l-Inter dahlitilhom fis sehh il preskrizzjoni u l-istess rapport jghid li il-Milan u l-inter Instabu hatja ta hafna affarijiet aghar milli instabu il Juve... Il-Milan ma setghux jehlu xejn ghax diga kienu wehlu farka talli kien haqqhom.
D Mifsud
Aug 10th 2012, 13:23
if they had to ban everyone who heard something about match fixing and not report it....I think almost everyone involved in football will be banned.
Christopher Camilleri
Aug 10th 2012, 12:31
It shows how decisions are made in Italy... no equal fairness! So Conte did not participate in this scandal but only haired about it and was banned for 10months while for example Siena who were prime actors i this scandals were only deducted 5 points!!! This is Italy!!!
Gordon Grech
Aug 10th 2012, 12:23
Ahseb u ara x'jista jaghmel mal-Juve!!
Luke Borg
Aug 10th 2012, 13:24
Ha nghidlek x ghamel jien habib mal-Juve Conte - rebah Kampjonat shieh minghajr telfa u gabilna t-tielet stilla! anki tghoddhom 30 tghejja! min imaqdar irid jixtri habib...Forza Juve con o senza Conte - siamo fortissimi lo stesso!
W Cassar
Aug 10th 2012, 13:42
Luke
Last year not playing any cups was a big advantage, this year you will not win anything ...wait and see.
Charles Grima
Aug 10th 2012, 13:48
So W.Cassar... you seem to know something that most people don't, that from 4 competitions, Juventus will win none of them...
HMMMM.... if you know something, DO TALK!
Silly Donkey!
W Cassar
Aug 10th 2012, 14:03
@ Charles Grima
Remember my words come next season ... only then you can call me silly, but I doubt you will.
R Brincat
Aug 10th 2012, 15:28
@ W Cassar
Which team do you support? The first team of Milan which is going bankrupt whose president lost all interest in the club? Or the second team of Milan which is participating in the Thursday night competition? Or a team from Rome who recently signed a coach who's all talk and no results? So don't you think that it is silly to say that a newly crowned Champion without loosing any match won't win anything? Your comments are like Masiello's - UNFOUNDED & NOT CREDIBLE.
Charles Grima
Aug 11th 2012, 18:59
@W.Cassar... just to point out that Juventus have already won an official title this season. The Italian Super Cup against the catenaccio spoilsports of Napoli!
R Brincat
Aug 10th 2012, 12:09
Are you running dry on ideas Times Of Malta? Don't you have anything else to fill the website with? Why is it that the article doesn't mention that there are more than 10 clubs and more than 40 players/officials involved? This is the "calcioscommesse" case not "contescommesse" case. The article should also state that Antonio Conte was banned even tough there was no proof against him. NOT A SINGLE ONE. The only thing that the federation's prosecutor had against him was a story told to him by Filippo Carobbio. For those who don't know who Carobbio is, he is one of those who bet and made deals with other players. He accused Conte of knowing that these things were going on at Siena and he did not inform the Federation that in italian is "Omessa Denuncia". The same prosecutor (Palazzi) requested 3years & 6months for Bonucci and 1 year for Pepe. These two players were acquitted of ALL charges because Masiello was retained NOT credible. So how can a prosecutor be doing a good job, when he requests a 3 year ban and the court absolutely ignores it and gives freedom to the accused. From 3 to 0. The article should also be mentioning how the courts system in Italy works which is absolutely ridiculous because if there is a madman who goes to the police and starts accusing an innocent person with crime, the innocent person becomes guilty and he/she has to get enough witness to prove him wrong. Therefore instead of innocent until proven guilty, it's vice versa, guilty until proven innocent.
Mr Edward Muscat
Aug 10th 2012, 12:02
Guilty until proven innocent. Only in China, and evidently Italy...
keith chetcuti
Aug 10th 2012, 12:00
the same old juve korruzjoni biss
Peter Paul Cassar
Aug 10th 2012, 15:55
Just to let you know. Il-Juve f'din li storja ma ghandhom x'jaqsmu XEJN. Nigu f'dan ghad inridu nisimghu xha jigri minn Palacio u Ranocchia aktar il-quddiem.
Charles Micallef
Aug 10th 2012, 11:46
Juventus coach Antonio Conte has been banned for 10 months in relation to a match-fixing investigation, some teams or their managers do learn from their past mistakes, bribes and corruption seems to be in their blood!
C. Vella
Aug 10th 2012, 13:26
Some teams can never win without having their FIGC friends put their opposition at a disadvantage. How ironic and you are speaking of corruption.
Malcolm Mifsud
Aug 10th 2012, 11:30
As a Juve supporter I'm sorry for the team and the club not the coach. He, and other players involved, should never have come to the club.
Mr Edward Muscat
Aug 10th 2012, 12:06
Ermm... Juve supporters are notably known to check facts before they put pen to paper. Please note that the "other players involved" were freed, didn't you read the article? Conte, on the other hand, will eventually have his sentence overturned, as happens in most cases with the Italian sports 'justice' system.
Christopher Camilleri
Aug 10th 2012, 12:33
you realy do not know the case...
KENNETH FORMOSA
Aug 10th 2012, 12:34
u se nemmnek li juve supporter...l-ebda juve supporter ma jahsibha bhalek! Int xi interist li qed toghrok idek ghax bxi haga hekk tergaw tibdew tirbhu,..MORATTI ISTHI! PRESCRITTI ISTHU
Malcolm Mifsud
Aug 10th 2012, 13:54
@ Edward Muscat
Yes I did read the article, but there's a difference between reading and believing anything and reading and deciding for yourself. Juve does not need these type of people within, it's enough having the entire Italian population howling at us anytime something dubious happens.
P Farrugia
Aug 10th 2012, 11:23
He must have been well thought from the Moggi days, miskin...
Kenneth Cassar
Aug 10th 2012, 11:19
It has to be Italy for someone to be convicted with absolutely no evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever.
Karl Consiglio
Aug 10th 2012, 11:06
Makes no difference to the situation
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