Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC)
President Carlo Tavecchio on Tuesday vowed to kick the corrupt
out of the game here, a day after prosecutors said Catania
Chairman Antonino Pulvirenti confessed to paying to fix five
matches to ensure the Sicilian club did not get relegated from
Serie B last season.
Tavecchio also backed Italy coach Antonio Conte, saying he
was staying in his job, amid media reports that he is about to
be sent to criminal trial in relation to a separate match-fixing
case.
"We have to drive all the merchants from the temple,"
Tavecchio told a press conference with FIGC Prosecutor Stefano
Palazzi and Serie B League chief Andrea Abodi.
"That's the most important thing. There must be no doubts
or problems with this".
Palazzi said he was set to receive the documentation for
the criminal prosecutors and vowed to work quickly.
The sporting trial into the Catania case needs to be done
quickly so next season's fixtures can be prepared.
The Sicilian side are likely to be relegated to the third
tier, Lega Pro, although they could be sent to the fourth level,
Serie D.
The Catania case is the only the latest in a string of
match-fixing investigations to sully the image of Italian soccer
in recent years.
In May police said they had found a massive ring to fix
matches in the third and fourth tiers of Italian football for
betting scams.
Furthermore, the Cremona-based Last-Bet probe, which
started in 2011, continues after leading to arrests, fines and
suspensions for many players.
Conte reportedly risks being indicted in this case.
The 45-year-old served a four-month ban while at Juventus
at the start of the 2012-2013 season after being found by a
sporting tribunal to have failed to report match-fixing during
his spell at the helm of Siena in the second tier in the
2010-2011 campaign.
Conte recently made an apparent U-turn, saying he had no
intention of quitting, having previously been quoted as saying
he would resign if he is sent to trial.
Tavecchio gave his backing for that stance on Tuesday.
"I spoke to him (Conte) this morning and there are no
developments," Tavecchio told reporters.
"He is staying in his job and will respect his contract.
"In this country we have guarantees for everyone,
including Conte," Tavecchio said.
"An indictment is not a conviction".
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