Football: Napoli win two-point appeal

Cannavaro and Grava were initially banned for six months for ‘failing to report evidence of corruption’.

MILAN: Napoli’s Serie A title hopes received a boost on Thursday when they had a two-point sanction overturned by the Italian football federation (FIGC). The decision allows Napoli to move into second place in the table on 42 points, three behind leaders Juventus.

Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro and teammate Gianluca Grava, suspected of playing a role in a match-fixing affair, were also cleared, according to the FIGC. “The two-points penalty deduction has been annulled and Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava have been acquitted,” said a statement. “Napoli will now pay a fine of €50,000.”

Cannavaro and fellow defender Grava were initially banned for six months for ‘failing to report evidence of corruption’, said the federation when the initial sanction was handed down on December 18.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2013.