Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 9y

Italy's Antonio Conte may face trial over match-fixing claim

Italy coach Antonio Conte could go on trial accused of sporting fraud after the conclusions of an investigation by the state prosecutor of Cremona were published on Monday.

Conte -- who was banned for 10 months, reduced to four on appeal, as part of a previous investigation in 2012 -- again faces accusations that he was aware of an attempt to fix a game while in charge of Siena.

A total of 130 names are mentioned in the latest investigation, including several from the previous investigation such as Conte, Stefano Mauri, Cristiano Doni and Giuseppe Signori, as well as Atalanta coach Stefano Colantuono.

Colantuono is alleged to have been part of a plan to fix the outcome of Crotone's game against Atalanta on 22 April 2011, ensuring more than three goals were scored. The game ended 2-2. Doni had been part of the Atalanta team in that fixture.

However, it is the presence once again of national team coach Conte that is causing the greatest interest in Italy.

Il Corriere dello Sport cited the Cremona State Prosecutors' report, which said the current Italy boss had agreed to commit "fraudulent acts aimed at obtaining a result different from what would have been the consequence of a correct and fair meeting between Novara and Siena."

The match in question, on May 1, 2011, ended 2-2, which the prosecutors' report noted was "a result which was in keeping with the bet placed." Again, the betting anomaly for that match concerned over three goals being scored.

After reading the report into the investigations, it will now be up to the disciplinary channels of the Italian Football Association (FIGC) to decide what action to take and whether Conte and the others accused will be brought before a sports tribunal.

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