ROME: Lazio captain Stefano Mauri has been banned for six months by the Italian FA for failing to report match-fixing.
The football tribunal also fined Serie A club Lazio 40,000 euros ($53,100) and Lecce, demoted to what is effectively the third tier in Italy for their part in the scandal, 20,000 euros.
Mauri was one of eight players accused of sporting fraud relating to Italian Cup winners Lazio’s final two matches of the 2010-11 season, when they beat Genoa 4-2 at home and Lecce by the same score away.
The midfielder was found guilty of failing to report match-fixing relating to the Lecce match, but cleared of any wrongdoing regarding the game against Genoa.
Mauri said he would appeal against the ban.
Lazio and Lecce escaped being docked points, as requested by prosecutor Stefano Palazzi and Genoa were cleared in the decisions handed out on Friday
The prosecutor had asked for Mauri to be banned for four and a half years.
“I am happy that my Lazio will not have to start with a points penalty, but even this sentence for failing to report seems an injustice to me,” Mauri said in a statement on his website (www.smauri.it).
“I’m trusting in the next levels of justice to allow me to leave this ugly episode behind me,” he added yesterday. REUTERS
