High-profile names quizzed over Italian match-fixing

By Andrew Warshaw

May 28 – Antonio Conte (pictured below), who has just coached Juventus to the Serie A league title in his first season in charge, is reported to be among a number of high-profile names being questioned in the latest development in the Italian match-fixing probe.

The Italian news agency ANSA also reports that Lazio captain Stefano Mauri has been arrested as part of the same inquiry.

Mauri was apparently detained by police (pictured top, screen at press conference) along with former Genoa midfielder Omar Milanetto – now with Serie B side Padova – after a raid on properties belonging to players, coaches and administrators of clubs in Serie A, Serie B and the lower divisions.

Midfielder Mauri (pictured below), who joined Lazio from Udinese in 2006, has 11 caps for Italy and made 16 league appearances last season as his club finished fourth in Serie A.

Mauri and Milanetto have been held over allegations of “criminal association and sporting fraud”, according to ANSA, which gave no further details of Conte’s involvement.

Police are also reported to have showed up at Italy’s pre-Euro 2012 training camp in Coverciano, Florence, to question former Genoa and Juventus defender Domenico Criscito, who now plays for Zenit St Petersburg in Russia.

Earlier this month, the Italian Football Federation released a comprehensive 48-page list naming 22 clubs and 61 individuals – 52 of them players – reported to the football authorities in connection with a match-fixing ring and betting investigation.

Former Atalanta captain and Italian international midfielder Cristiano Doni has already been banned for three-and-half years while ex-Lazio skipper Giuseppe Signori, who also represented Italy as a striker, was handed a five-year ban.

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