By David Gold
August 13 – Verona’s Emanuele Pesoli, who has been banned for three years as part of the Italian match-fixing scandal, has chained himself to the gates of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) headquarters in Rome.
Pesoli (pictured top, in black and white) was just one of many charged and punished for their involvement in a scandal which also accounted for Juventus coach Antonio Conte, suspended for 10 months for his role.
Pesoli, like Conte, was at Siena when they were accused of fixing matches during the 2010-2011 season.
He was handed his ban for three years on Friday (August 10) and, at the age of 31, it could end Pesoli’s career.
“I am hurt by the sentence and I would like to confront those who accuse me,” Pesoli told the Italian newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It is a strong protest but they are ruining my life for something I have not done.
“I will stay here until I can not do it anymore.”
Meanwhile, Juventus have pledged to stand by Conte (pictured above with the Italian Serie A football trophy), and say he will remain in charge of the Serie A club, although Massimo Carrera will assume responsibility for the first team in his absence.
Conte will appeal and the bianconeri are confident that the man who led them to the Serie A title unbeaten last year will ultimately be exonerated, after being found guilty of failing to report match-fixing.
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