Worldwide bans over fixing offences in Italy
FIFA has imposed worldwide bans on 23 players and officials found guilty in Italy of a range of betting and fixing offences.
The cases in Catanzaro and Catania saw several lower-league clubs punished along with various players and staff individually.
The Italian football federation, FIGC, said it had reduced several penalties that were initially imposed in Catanzaro, following a raft of appeals, however it only cleared one player who challenged his punishment, former Pro Patria goalkeeper Vincenzo Melillo.
FIFA said in a statement yesterday: “FIFA today confirmed the worldwide extension of sanctions imposed on several officials and players by the Italian Football Association’s sport-justice bodies and the Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport of the Italian national Olympic Committee relating to incidents of match manipulation and illegal betting that took place between 2014 and 2015 in different Italian football competitions.
“The sanctions imposed range from bans for one to five years and in some cases individuals have received permanent bans from holding any kind of position within the Italian FA.
“The chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee decided on 25 February 2016 to...