ROME — Premier Mario Monti suggested yesterday that Italian soccer be suspended for two to three years after the latest match-fixing scandal rocked the national team and again tarnished the sport’s image in the country just a week before the European Championship.
Dawn raids on Monday resulted in 14 arrests — including Lazio captain Stefano Mauri — to bring the total number of suspects arrested in the match-fixing inquiry to about 50 since last year. Many more have been placed under investigation.
“Football should be stopped for two to three years,” Monti said yesterday in a powerful message to Italy’s soccer authorities on the need to clean up the game. “It is not a proposal by the government but a question I am asking as someone who was passionate when football was still football.”
Monti made the comments while standing beside the prime minister of Poland, which is co-hosting Euro 2012 with Ukraine starting June 8.
“I’m not making a proposal, and even less is it a proposal that comes from the government, but it’s a desire that sometimes I feel inside me: That it would really benefit the maturity of us Italian citizens if this game was completely suspended for two to three years,” he said.
He also ruled out the use of public money to bail out teams in difficulty.
Police swept through the Italian national squad’s training camp near Florence on Monday as part of the operation and Italy defender Domenico Criscito was left off the Euro 2012 squad after he was placed under investigation.
Antonio Conte, who coached Juventus to the Serie A title this term, was also officially notified that he is under investigation for alleged wrongdoing while in charge of Siena in 2010-2011.
Apart from those arrested Monday, three people have been placed under house arrest and two others are to present themselves to authorities. Five of the arrests were made in Hungary.
Numerous others have had their houses searched, including Chievo Verona striker Sergio Pellissier as well as Conte and Criscito.
The investigation was started by judicial authorities in Cremona last year. It has resulted in former Atalanta captain Cristiano Doni being banned from soccer for 3 1/2 years, and the arrest of former Lazio captain Giuseppe Signori.
Mario Monti, Stefano Mauri, Italian soccer online, investigation, soccer authorities, Domenico Criscito, proposal, Lazio, Sergio Pellissier
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