2011 Italian football scandal
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Italian football scandal emerged on 1 June 2011 after a number of football-related figures were arrested, or made under official scrutiny, by Italian police for alleged matchfixing. The list included also well-known figures as former Italian international footballer Giuseppe Signori
, as well as former Serie A players Mauro Bressan
, Stefano Bettarini
and Atalanta
veteran striker Cristiano Doni
. The group was accused of having fixed a wide range of Serie B
, Lega Pro Prima Divisione and Lega Pro Seconda Divisione.
The inquiry started following a denounce from Lega Pro Prima Divisione club Cremonese
, led by internal suspects involving first team goalkeeper Marco Paoloni
, who was successively sold to Benevento
in January 2011.
The scandal also known as Operation Last Bet and Calcio scommesse (football bet).
Interestingly, some of the involved persons were already been inquiried or condemned for similar charges: Cristiano Doni was acquitted in 2000, whereas Vincenzo Sommese (in 2007) and Stefano Bettarini (in 2005) were disqualified for six months due to illegal betting.
and Siena
might lose their right to play Serie A in 2011–12. Atalanta's situation is considered particularly delicate due to the direct involvement of Cristiano Doni in the matchfixing process, whereas Siena is accused of having paid Sassuolo
players in order to obtain a win by more than three goals (game ended 4–0); Sassuolo itself, together with Ascoli, Padova
and Piacenza
, are also mentioned in the inquiry, and might be punished by the Federation due to the so-called "objective responsibility" law.
Giuseppe Signori
Giuseppe "Beppe" Signori is a retired Italian football striker, one of the top scorers in Serie A history and widely regarded as one of the best football players to have never received a winners medal in competitive football. He was a fast, left footed striker who was prolific goalscorer...
, as well as former Serie A players Mauro Bressan
Mauro Bressan
Mauro Bressan is a retired Italian football player who currently works as a director of sports for the Hungarian club Vasas SC.-Football career:...
, Stefano Bettarini
Stefano Bettarini
Stefano Bettarini is a former Italian footballer. He played once for Italy national team.-Biography:Born in Forlì, Emilia–Romagna, Bettarini spent his childhood at Buonconvento, the Province of Siena, Tuscany. He then spent his youth career at Staggia Senese, Poggibonsi, the Province of Siena and...
and Atalanta
Atalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
veteran striker Cristiano Doni
Cristiano Doni
Cristiano Doni is an Italian professional footballer who plays for Atalanta B.C. as an attacking midfielder.Most of his senior career was associated with Atalanta, as he appeared in more than 300 official games for the club, netting more than 100 goals.Doni represented Italy at the 2002 World...
. The group was accused of having fixed a wide range of Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
, Lega Pro Prima Divisione and Lega Pro Seconda Divisione.
The inquiry started following a denounce from Lega Pro Prima Divisione club Cremonese
U.S. Cremonese
Unione Sportiva Cremonese is an Italian football club, based in Cremona. The club was founded in 1903. Cremonese played the 2005/2006 season in Serie B, having won Serie C1/A the previous season. However, in the 2005/2006 Serie B campaign, Cremonese came out twenty-first, being therefore relegated...
, led by internal suspects involving first team goalkeeper Marco Paoloni
Marco Paoloni
Marco Paoloni is an Italian footballer who plays for Benevento at Lega Pro Prima Divisione.-Biography:Born in Civitavecchia, the Province of Rome, Paoloni started his career at A.S. Roma. But in summer 2003, he left Roma's Primavera for Serie C1 side Teramo Calcio and played the last 4 matches of...
, who was successively sold to Benevento
Benevento Calcio
Benevento Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Benevento, Campania. The club was founded in 1929 and refounded in 2005. Currently it plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione/A.-History:...
in January 2011.
The scandal also known as Operation Last Bet and Calcio scommesse (football bet).
Involved figures
- Marco PaoloniMarco PaoloniMarco Paoloni is an Italian footballer who plays for Benevento at Lega Pro Prima Divisione.-Biography:Born in Civitavecchia, the Province of Rome, Paoloni started his career at A.S. Roma. But in summer 2003, he left Roma's Primavera for Serie C1 side Teramo Calcio and played the last 4 matches of...
: BeneventoBenevento CalcioBenevento Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Benevento, Campania. The club was founded in 1929 and refounded in 2005. Currently it plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione/A.-History:...
goalkeeper, under arrest; deemed to be a central figure in the organization, accused of having actively worked to fix games in the Lega Pro Prima Divisione league in games involving CremoneseU.S. CremoneseUnione Sportiva Cremonese is an Italian football club, based in Cremona. The club was founded in 1903. Cremonese played the 2005/2006 season in Serie B, having won Serie C1/A the previous season. However, in the 2005/2006 Serie B campaign, Cremonese came out twenty-first, being therefore relegated...
(where he played until January 2011) and Benevento (a team he joined during the winter transfer window), including having deliberately doped his former Cremonese teammates in order to fix a game. Also accused of having collected illegal bets and organized match fixes for the whole organization. - Giuseppe SignoriGiuseppe SignoriGiuseppe "Beppe" Signori is a retired Italian football striker, one of the top scorers in Serie A history and widely regarded as one of the best football players to have never received a winners medal in competitive football. He was a fast, left footed striker who was prolific goalscorer...
: former Italian international footballer and Serie A topscorer, under house arrest; suspected of having placed illegal bets. - Stefano BettariniStefano BettariniStefano Bettarini is a former Italian footballer. He played once for Italy national team.-Biography:Born in Forlì, Emilia–Romagna, Bettarini spent his childhood at Buonconvento, the Province of Siena, Tuscany. He then spent his youth career at Staggia Senese, Poggibonsi, the Province of Siena and...
: former Italian international footballer, under investigation; suspected of being a member of the criminal matchfixing organization. - Antonio BellavistaAntonio BellavistaAntonio Bellavista is an Italian footballer who is currently unattached. He plays as a midfielder.He played for 2 seasons in the Serie A for A.S. Bari.-External links:**...
: former BariA.S. BariAssociazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....
captain, under investigation; suspected of being a member of the criminal matchfixing organization. - Mauro BressanMauro BressanMauro Bressan is a retired Italian football player who currently works as a director of sports for the Hungarian club Vasas SC.-Football career:...
: former Serie A player, under investigation; suspected of being a member of the criminal matchfixing organization. - Cristiano DoniCristiano DoniCristiano Doni is an Italian professional footballer who plays for Atalanta B.C. as an attacking midfielder.Most of his senior career was associated with Atalanta, as he appeared in more than 300 official games for the club, netting more than 100 goals.Doni represented Italy at the 2002 World...
: AtalantaAtalanta B.C.Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
captain and former Italian international footballer, under investigation; suspected of being a member of the criminal matchfixing organization. - Vittorio MicolucciVittorio MicolucciVittorio Micolucci is an Italian footballer who currently plays for Ascoli.He made his Serie A debut on 14 January 2001 against S.S. Lazio.-External links:*http://www.gazzetta.it/speciali/serie_b/2008_nw/giocatori/54586.shtml...
: AscoliAscoli Calcio 1898Ascoli Calcio 1898 is an Italian football club based in Ascoli Piceno, Marche. The club was formed in 1898 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, having returned to it after two seasons spent in Serie A...
player, under arrest; suspected of having actively worked in order to fix Serie B games for the criminal matchfixing organization. - Vincenzo SommeseVincenzo SommeseVincenzo Sommese is an Italian former footballer.-Career:Sommese started his career at Nola of Serie C2. He was signed by Torino in November 1994, and made his Serie A debut on 6 April 1996, against Juventus F.C., but Torino fall to Serie B in that summer.After a short return to Serie A in 1999/00...
: AscoliAscoli Calcio 1898Ascoli Calcio 1898 is an Italian football club based in Ascoli Piceno, Marche. The club was formed in 1898 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, having returned to it after two seasons spent in Serie A...
player, under arrest; suspected of having actively worked in order to fix Serie B games for the criminal matchfixing organization. - Gianfranco Parlato: ViareggioF.C. Esperia ViareggioFootball Club Esperia Viareggio known as Viareggio is an Italian football club located in Viareggio, Tuscany.It currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione.Its colors are white and black.-History:...
coaching staff member and former Serie B player, under arrest; suspected of having actively worked in order to fix Lega Pro Prima Divisione games for the criminal matchfixing organization.
Interestingly, some of the involved persons were already been inquiried or condemned for similar charges: Cristiano Doni was acquitted in 2000, whereas Vincenzo Sommese (in 2007) and Stefano Bettarini (in 2005) were disqualified for six months due to illegal betting.
Potential consequences
Following the inquiries and its direct developments, media speculated about the possibility that AtalantaAtalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
and Siena
A.C. Siena
Associazione Calcio Siena is an Italian football club based in Siena.The club currently plays in Serie A, having gained promotion from Serie B at the end of the 2010-2011 season....
might lose their right to play Serie A in 2011–12. Atalanta's situation is considered particularly delicate due to the direct involvement of Cristiano Doni in the matchfixing process, whereas Siena is accused of having paid Sassuolo
U.S. Sassuolo Calcio
Unione Sportiva Sassuolo Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Sassuolo, Emilia-Romagna.In the season 2010-11 it plays in Serie B.The club was founded in 1922....
players in order to obtain a win by more than three goals (game ended 4–0); Sassuolo itself, together with Ascoli, Padova
Calcio Padova
Calcio Padova is an Italian football club, based in Padua, Veneto. The club was founded in 1910. Padova is playing in Serie B, having last been in Serie A in 1996...
and Piacenza
Piacenza Calcio
Piacenza Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Piacenza. The club was formed in 1919 and currently plays in Italian Lega Pro Prima Divisione B. The team's colors are red and white, prompting one of the team's nicknames, the Biancorossi. They are also known as the Papaveri , and...
, are also mentioned in the inquiry, and might be punished by the Federation due to the so-called "objective responsibility" law.
First-degree sentences
On 9 August 2011, the Italian Football Federation announced the first-degree charges for all involved parties in the scandal.Clubs
- Atalanta B.C.Atalanta B.C.Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
: 6 point deduction in the 2011–12 season. - Ascoli Calcio 1898Ascoli Calcio 1898Ascoli Calcio 1898 is an Italian football club based in Ascoli Piceno, Marche. The club was formed in 1898 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, having returned to it after two seasons spent in Serie A...
: 6 point deduction in the 2011–12 season, plus 50,000 € fine. - Hellas Verona F.C.Hellas Verona F.C.Hellas Verona Football Club is a professional Italian association football team, based in Verona, Veneto. The team's colours are yellow and blue and gialloblu is the team's most widely used nickname...
: 20,000 € fine. - U.S. Sassuolo CalcioU.S. Sassuolo CalcioUnione Sportiva Sassuolo Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Sassuolo, Emilia-Romagna.In the season 2010-11 it plays in Serie B.The club was founded in 1922....
: 20,000 € fine. - U.S. Alessandria Calcio 1912U.S. Alessandria Calcio 1912Unione Sportiva Alessandria Calcio 1912 is the professional Italian football club based in Alessandria, Piedmont.In the current season, it plays in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione group A.- Brief history :...
: last-placed by office in the 2010–11 season, with automatic relegation to the Lega Pro Seconda Divisione league as a consequence. - Benevento CalcioBenevento CalcioBenevento Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Benevento, Campania. The club was founded in 1929 and refounded in 2005. Currently it plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione/A.-History:...
: 9 point deduction in the 2011–12 season. - U.S. CremoneseU.S. CremoneseUnione Sportiva Cremonese is an Italian football club, based in Cremona. The club was founded in 1903. Cremonese played the 2005/2006 season in Serie B, having won Serie C1/A the previous season. However, in the 2005/2006 Serie B campaign, Cremonese came out twenty-first, being therefore relegated...
: 6 point deduction in the 2011–12 season, plus 30,000 € fine. - F.C. Esperia ViareggioF.C. Esperia ViareggioFootball Club Esperia Viareggio known as Viareggio is an Italian football club located in Viareggio, Tuscany.It currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione.Its colors are white and black.-History:...
: 1 point deduction in the 2011–12 season. - Piacenza CalcioPiacenza CalcioPiacenza Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Piacenza. The club was formed in 1919 and currently plays in Italian Lega Pro Prima Divisione B. The team's colors are red and white, prompting one of the team's nicknames, the Biancorossi. They are also known as the Papaveri , and...
: 4 point deduction in the 2011–12 season, plus 50,000 € fine. - Calcio Portogruaro Summaga: 20,000 € fine.
- Ravenna CalcioRavenna CalcioRavenna Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna. The club was founded in 1913 and refounded in 2001....
: exclusion from the 2011–12 Lega Pro Prima Divisione with automatic relegation to Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, plus 50,000 € fine. - A.C. Reggiana 1919A.C. Reggiana 1919Associazione Calcio Reggiana 1919 is an Italian association football club, based in Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna. The club was founded in 1919 as A.C. Reggiana and refounded in July 2005 as Reggio Emilia F.C., but it was renamed A.C. Reggiana 1919 soon after the start of the 2005–06 season. The...
: 2 point deduction in the 2011–12 season. - Spezia Calcio: 1 point deduction in the 2011–12 season.
- A.S. Taranto Calcio: 1 point deduction in the 2011–12 season.
- Virtus Entella: 15,000 € fine.
People
- Antonio BellavistaAntonio BellavistaAntonio Bellavista is an Italian footballer who is currently unattached. He plays as a midfielder.He played for 2 seasons in the Serie A for A.S. Bari.-External links:**...
: 5 year ban from football activities; - Mauro BressanMauro BressanMauro Bressan is a retired Italian football player who currently works as a director of sports for the Hungarian club Vasas SC.-Football career:...
: 3 year and 6 month ban from football activities; - Giorgio Buffone: 5 year ban from football activities;
- Antonio Ciriello: 1 year ban from football activities;
- Daniele Deoma: 1 year and 9 month ban from football activities;
- Cristiano DoniCristiano DoniCristiano Doni is an Italian professional footballer who plays for Atalanta B.C. as an attacking midfielder.Most of his senior career was associated with Atalanta, as he appeared in more than 300 official games for the club, netting more than 100 goals.Doni represented Italy at the 2002 World...
: 3 year and 6 month ban from football activities; - Massimo Erodiani: 5 year ban from football activities;
- Gianni Fabbri: 5 year ban from football activities;
- Carlo GervasoniCarlo Gervasoni-Career:Gervasoni started his career at a small Lombardy club Como. In mid-2001, he joined South Tyrol of Serie C2 in co-ownership deal. After 3 seasons as a regular starter, Como bought him back in 2004 but sold to Geona for free. But Genoa immediately sold him to Verona in another co-ownership...
: 5 year ban from football activities; - Thomas ManfrediniThomas ManfrediniThomas Manfredini is an Italian football defender who currently plays for Italian Serie A side, Atalanta.In July 2007, he was banned from football for a duration of three months as a result of illegal betting.In October 2008, Manfredini extended his contract with Atalanta to June 2013.On 26 July...
: 3 year ban from football activities; - Marco PaoloniMarco PaoloniMarco Paoloni is an Italian footballer who plays for Benevento at Lega Pro Prima Divisione.-Biography:Born in Civitavecchia, the Province of Rome, Paoloni started his career at A.S. Roma. But in summer 2003, he left Roma's Primavera for Serie C1 side Teramo Calcio and played the last 4 matches of...
: 5 year ban from football activities; - Salvatore Quadrini: 1 year ban from football activities;
- Leonardo Rossi: 3 year ban from football activities;
- Nicola SantoniNicola SantoniNicola Santoni is an Italian former association football goalkeeper.- Career :He started his professional career at native club Cesena of Emilia-Romagna region. He was on loan to Chieti in 2000-01 season.- Palermo :...
: 4 year ban from football activities; - Davide SaverinoDavide SaverinoDavide Saverino is an Italian footballer. He plays for Reggiana.He played more than 100 games in Serie B, and also played in Serie C1, Serie C2 and Serie D.-Career:Saverino started his career at Varese of Serie C2...
: 3 year ban from football activities; - Giuseppe SignoriGiuseppe SignoriGiuseppe "Beppe" Signori is a retired Italian football striker, one of the top scorers in Serie A history and widely regarded as one of the best football players to have never received a winners medal in competitive football. He was a fast, left footed striker who was prolific goalscorer...
: 5 year ban from football activities; - Vincenzo SommeseVincenzo SommeseVincenzo Sommese is an Italian former footballer.-Career:Sommese started his career at Nola of Serie C2. He was signed by Torino in November 1994, and made his Serie A debut on 6 April 1996, against Juventus F.C., but Torino fall to Serie B in that summer.After a short return to Serie A in 1999/00...
: 5 year ban from football activities; - Giorgio Veltroni: 4 year ban from football activities;