Some 50 people were detained on
Tuesday and over 70 are under investigation in relation to a
probe into alleged match-fixing in Italian lower leagues
orchestrated by the Calabrian-based 'Ndrangheta mafia.
Over 30 teams from Italy's Lega Pro and Serie D, the third
and fourth tiers of Italian soccer, are allegedly involved in
the betting-related scam.
Tuesday's operation, nicknamed Dirty Soccer, was
coordinated by investigators in Rome and the Calabrian city of
Catanzaro.
It began when wiretaps of Pietro Iannazzo, a member of a
Calabria Mob clan, revealed moves to fix matches to make money
from bets.
Prosecutors said that 28 matches from the current campaign
are under suspicion.
Players, coaches, and club executives were among the
people detained on Tuesday, as well as a policeman.
Investigators said that two groups with backers from
countries including Kazakstan, Serbia and Slovenia were behind
the match-fixing, one focusing on Lega Pro and the other on
Serie D.
They added that in some cases, such as those of Neapolis
and Brindisi in Serie D, the alleged match-fixing was linked to
bids to win promotion, rather than money from betting scams.
Italian soccer has been hit by a series of match-fixing
probes in recent years.
The massive Last Bet operation, which started in Cremona
and had branches in Bari and Naples, over attempts to fix
matches in Serie A and Serie B has lead to a series of
convictions and sporting suspensions for players involved.
In 2006 Juventus were relegated and stripped of two Serie A
titles for involvement in the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal
regarding schemes to have compliant referees officiate some
teams' matches.
Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) President Carlo Tavecchio
said Tuesday that his body was the injured party.
"We declare ourselves to be the injured party in what is
happening," Tavecchio said. "We are a body that wants to defend
the system from certain things, but our means are not up to it".
Damiano Tommasi, the head of Italian professional
footballers association AIC, said that Tuesday's probe into
match-fixing in Italian lower leagues highlighted the dangers of
allowing betting on amateur games.
"Opening the amateur world to betting was risky because
there are more than 160 teams and the matches are not
broadcast," the former AS Roma and Italy midfielder said.
"So it's difficult to check on them. Our world is tempting
for people pursuing crime. Clarification is needed as soon as
possible". Serie D is made up of predominantly amateur players.
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