Report: Banned linesman claims pressure to fix soccer matches is
systematic 23-Nov-2006
*MILAN, Italy (AP)* - A banned linesman has claimed that pressure from clubs
and federation officials to influence the outcome of games is systematic in
Italy's top two soccer leagues.
Stefano Titomanlio was banned for three years for his involvement in Italy's
match-fixing scandal.
"If a club director from one of the lower divisions calls the AIA
(Association of Italian Referees) to complain, he is told to get lost. But
that's not the case in (Serie) A and B," Titomanlio was quoted as saying in
Thursday's La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"At certain levels, the relationships between club directors and referee
commissioners are closer," Titomanlio said, adding that there were "three or
four" protagonists in either camp. He did not elaborate.
Titomanlio was sanctioned by a sports tribunal in July for illicit contact
with AC Milan official Leonardo Meani. Meani was banned for 2 1/2 years.
"No one over told me to help this or that team. The how and what to do was
left to the individual's discretion ... but let's say (there were)
indications on how to behave," Titomanlio said. "Everyone knew about it.
"I also received pressure from the referee commissioners on certain
matches," Titomanlio added.
Titomanlio also claimed that a Napoli club official had him banned for three
games in 2002 for not sending off an opposing player.
In total, 22 officials and referees were sanctioned in the scandal, which
saw Juventus stripped of its past two Serie A titles and demoted to the
second division with a nine-point penalty.
Four other Serie A clubs - AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina - escaped
relegation but were forced to begin the season with point penalties.
"The system can only change when there is an overhaul of the entire
generation of protagonists and management," the ANSA news agency quoted
Titomanlio as saying.
*Source(text): Associated Press* *Source(images): AFP*
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