Italian soccer scandal: National players and club stars in gambling controversy

Iti911

Italian football has been a breeding ground for controversy, with the infamous "Calciopoli" scandal in the early 21st century being a notable case. Now, a massive football scandal has erupted, involving several Italian national team players and domestic club stars in match-fixing allegations. According to the media, up to 50 players are implicated, with three of them even being club owners.

The whistleblower in this case is a journalist named Fabrizio Corona. The first player exposed was Juventus' Chiellini, who has confessed to his involvement in match-fixing and shared details. Fabrizio hinted that this was just the beginning and that more revelations were on the way.

The subsequent revelations were even more explosive. He exposed two more players, one being Tonali, who recently joined the Premier League team Newcastle for €65 million, and the other being Zaniolo, who had just moved to Aston Villa. This news broke just two days ago while both players were with the Italian national team, and they were immediately arrested for questioning. The national team also announced their withdrawal from the upcoming matches. Unlike Chiellini, these two players admitted to gambling but claimed to have only played blackjack and poker and denied involvement in other aspects. Zaniolo even teared up during the questioning.

Following these revelations, the journalist disclosed a fourth player, Zalewski of AS Roma, but the details were similar. He then stated that well-known players were essentially these four mentioned. What's truly disturbing, however, is that he discovered around 50 players from Serie A involved in gambling, and shockingly, three Serie A club presidents are also implicated. One of these club presidents oversees a Southern Serie A team, underscoring the extent of corruption within Italian football.

This scandal sheds light on why Italian football has lost its former dominance, failing to advance past the group stages in the last two World Cups. It appears that these issues may have played a significant role in the decline.

Shri333

The issue of players gambling is probably quite common, it's just that it hasn't been exposed.

Samiksha

The entire football world seems to be involved in gambling, with Italy just being more careless and brazen about it. I find it hard to believe that athletes in other sports don't engage in gambling, it's quite open in South America, after all.

Niti998

It's unclear how these cases will be punished, but a one-year suspension seems like a minimum. In the Premier League, Toni received a one-year ban, and his actions weren't particularly egregious. He bet on his own performance, whether he was on the field or not, mainly on trivial outcomes like who would score. He wasn't involved in match-fixing or manipulation, just casual gambling. So, he received a one-year suspension. It's unclear about the circumstances of the players mentioned in the article. Currently, Newcastle may be the most frustrated, while Milan could be the most fortunate.

Shri

If players are involved in gambling, I suggest a direct 20-year ban, ensuring they can never play football again in their lifetime. Playing rigged matches compromises a team's honor and a nation's dignity. Strict punishment is a must.

Shri333

Oh? Players can't even gamble? That's outrageous!

Jafar224

In this field, being completely clean while immersed in it is highly unlikely.