Football: Napoli docked points for match-fixing

ROME: Napoli have been docked two points and fined $92,000 in connection with a long-running probe into illegal betting, according to the Italian football federation (FIGC).

The southern Italy club’s captain Paolo Cannavaro and fellow defender Gianluca Grava were banned for six months for ‘failing to report evidence of corruption’.

Napoli, who have said they would appeal the sanction, were in third spot before the ruling but now fall to fifth, 10 points behind defending champions and league leaders Juventus, in a severe blow to their title hopes.

The FIGC disciplinary committee also said it had suspended former goalkeeper Matteo Gianello for three years and three months for his involvement in an attempt to fix the match between Napoli and Sampdoria on May 16, 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2012.