January 13 – Lazio and Italy midfielder Stefano Mauri will be back in action on February 2 after his nine-month ban for failing to report match-fixing was reduced on appeal.
In October, it appeared Mauri would be ruled out for the rest of the season when his original sixth-month ban was increased by a further three.
But now it is back at six following a tribunal hearing, meaning he will be available for selection again from February 2 since the ban actually started in August.
Mauri had been suspended for allegedly failing to alert the authorities to potential rigging in the Lazio-Genoa and Lecce-Lazio matches in May 2011. He always denied any guilt even though the Italian FA slapped a further three months on to the penalty, described by his legal team at the time as “not only unjust but incomprehensible”
That has now been revoked following a ruling by the National Sports’ Court for Arbitration though it remains to be seen whether Mauri, capped 11 times by his country, will be considered for the World Cup squad.
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