Football: Juve coach loses appeal

Juventus coach Antonio Conte lost his appeal against a 10-month ban over a match-fixing scandal.

ROME: Juventus coach Antonio Conte is set to miss the whole of the Serie A season with the defending champions after losing his appeal against a 10-month ban over a match-fixing scandal. The Italian federation’s (FIGC) prosecutor also lost an appeal against the decision to acquit Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci and winger Simone Pepe over an alleged attempt to fix a match between Bari and Udinese in 2010. The FIGC’s prosecutor had wanted a three-and-a-half year ban for Italy’s Bonucci, who was playing for Bari at the time, and a one-year ban for Pepe, who was with Udinese. Juve have said they will stick by Conte with a second appeal set to be launched and heard in September.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2012.