2011 Italian football scandal

The 2011 Italian football scandal emerged on 1 June 2011 after a number of football-related figures were arrested, or made under official scrutiny, by Italian police for alleged matchfixing. The list included also well-known figures as former Italian international footballer Giuseppe Signori, as well as former Serie A players Mauro Bressan, Stefano Bettarini and Atalanta veteran striker Cristiano Doni. The group was accused of having fixed a wide range of Serie B, Lega Pro Prima Divisione and Lega Pro Seconda Divisione games.

The inquiry started following a denunciation from Lega Pro Prima Divisione club Cremonese, instigated by internal suspicions involving first team goalkeeper Marco Paoloni, who was successively sold to Benevento in January 2011.

The scandal is also known as Operation: Last Bet, Calcio Scommesse ("Football Bet") or Scommessopoli ("Bet City").

Interestingly, some of the involved persons were already been inquiried or condemned for similar charges: Cristiano Doni was acquitted in 2000, whereas Vincenzo Sommese (in 2007) and Stefano Bettarini (in 2005) were disqualified for six months due to illegal betting.

Following the inquiries and its direct developments, media speculated about the possibility that Atalanta and Siena might lose their right to play Serie A in 2011–12. Atalanta's situation is considered particularly delicate due to the direct involvement of Cristiano Doni in the matchfixing process, whereas Siena is accused of having paid Sassuolo players in order to obtain a win by more than three goals (game ended 4–0); Sassuolo itself, together with Ascoli, Padova and Piacenza, are also mentioned in the inquiry, and might be punished by the Federation due to the so-called "objective responsibility" law.

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