Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli has reportedly been banned for seven months after being found guilty of sports betting.
According to Sky Sports Italia, the Italian international earned the ban after prosecutors in Turin investigated claims that he was betting on unlawful online platforms.
It comes after a slew of high-profile Italian figures, like Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo, were embroiled in scandals.
Corriere dello Sport claimed on Monday that Fagioli was willing to bargain with FIGC [Italian League] prosecutor Giuseppe Chine in order to secure a lower sentence.
According to national statutes, Italian athletes are not permitted to wager on sports in which they participate, and if proven guilty, they face worldwide bans of up to three years.
According to sources, Union Berlin defender and former Juventus colleague Leandro Bonucci was aware of Fagioli’s gambling tendencies.
While there is no evidence that Bonucci gambled, phone conversations indicated to prosecutors that he was one of several people who knew Fagioli enjoyed gambling.
According to reports, Zaniolo may have played blackjack and poker on unlawful sites, but he had no idea they were illegal, and he never bet on football.
His lawyer stated that “Nicolo never bet. He also told me this. It is possible that he played card games such as poker and blackjack on illegal online platforms without knowing that they were illegal. We will clarify everything.”
Meanwhile, Tonali’s agent stated that the former AC Milan player has a gambling addiction and is seeking treatment: “Sandro has a gambling addiction. He’s battling hard to avoid that, and I’m confident he’ll win this difficult game.
“He is in shock; he is shaken and sad. I hope that this experience saves his life and that of many others, and that it helps those who fall into the same habit as him.
“Sandro is training, and on Saturday he could also play.
“He understood that he had to face this problem in a determined way. The club is absolutely on his side at the moment.”
