By Andrew Warshaw
July 18 – The Italian match-fixing scandal has snared one of its most high-profile figures to date, with Belgium’s national goalkeeper Jean Francois Gillet among 20 individuals punished by the Italian football federation over two matches involving Bari in Serie B in 2008 and 2009.
In a major embarrassment for Belgian football, Gillet, who has won nine caps for his country and plays his club football for Torino, has been handed a ban of three years, seven months for his part in the affair. He was on Bari’s books between 2001 and 2011, playing in both the matches under suspicion and, at 34, could now find his professional career is over.
Longer four-year bans have been meted out to former Bari and Salernitana player Massimo Gancio and former Salernitana director Cosimo D’Angelo.
Gianluca Galasso, also ex-Bari, was banned, like Gillet, for three years and seven months while another 10 players were suspended for three years and six months each. Six others were issued with six-match bans, while another nine agreed plea bargains ranging from three to 16 months.
Two players were acquitted, while Bari has been issued a one-point deduction for its forthcoming Serie B season.
The announcement followed last week’s ruling that Serie A clubs Lazio and Genoa had been referred to a disciplinary tribunal over allegations of match-fixing in the 2010-11 season.
The pair were joined by Lecce, currently in the third tier of Italian football, as well as eight players. That hearing is set to take place on July 24.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734831045labto1734831045ofdlr1734831045owedi1734831045sni@w1734831045ahsra1734831045w.wer1734831045dna1734831045