Serie B Match-Fixing Scandal Spreads Further With Allegations Of Top-Flight Teams’ Involvement

Being involved in match-fixing (and getting caught, of course) is a dangerous business. If the allegations that Atalanta or Chievo were part of a rigging scheme prove founded, they could well see the hammer dropped on them by the FIGC. A major points deduction and the near-certain relegation that would go with it certainly isn’t out of the question, but the risks are known to any club or player who participates in match-fixing, and yet it continues to happen across Europe. The only reason the Italy issue hasn’t gotten more attention is because until now no Serie A side had been implicated and because Turkey’s own scandal has been far more catastrophic. But make no mistake - this is not good at all.

Because allegations of simple match fixing were just not sexy enough for Italian football, they had to go and throw spiked drinks into the mix. That’s right, along with accusing Beppe Signori and fifteen others of being involved in a betting scandal, much of which centers around Serie B, prosecutors have also alleged that players from Lega Pro club Cremonese had their drinks spiked.

While the drugged drinks are certainly an intriguing part of this scandal, the clubs to keep an eye on are Siena and Atalanta. Both clubs earned promotion to Serie A this season, and both clubs were allegedly involved in fixed matches.

You’d have thought that Italy were going to put the fixing matches sort of thing behind them, but turns out no. No they’re not. Sixteen people, including some current Serie B players and former Italy international Giuseppe Signori, have been arrested in Italy over suspicions of being involved in yet another match-fixing scandal.

The Italian police mounted a major six-month-long operation to draw out and then arrest the sixteen, who have been described as part of an organised criminal gang where each had their own tasks and roles. Several matches have been implicated, including those involving newly-promoted Atalanta and Siena - an investigation into those games could have a major impact on the shape of Italian football in 2011/12. For now, seven of the sixteen remain in jail while Signori and eight others are under house arrest.