THE ARCHIVE
Europe
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Few people paid much attention to the 1-1 draw between Atalanta and Pistoiese in their Italian Cup match played on August 20. In fact, for Italian football, it was the start of an annus horribilis. Two days after the game there were reports of strange betting patterns involving relatives of some of those playing, and seven months later six players, four of them from Atalanta, were suspended for up to a year. Strangely, they were “only” found guilty of knowing the match was fixed and not reporting it. Most people think that if the match was fixed, the guilty have got off while the relatively innocent have been punished. The convicted players are appealing, but suspicions about the match will remain. In the cynical context of Italian football, all this should surprise only the terminally naive. For there is a general feeling that many matches are fixed in some way or other. Confirmation of many people’s suspicions came when eccentric Perugia coach Serse Cosmi, believing he was off camera, revealed on TV some of the secrets of the southern group of Serie C1. In particular, he alleged that one club, Juve Stabia, fixed several games at the end of the season. When Cosmi’s remarks were broadcast, he defended himself by saying it was just “bar talk” but no one was fooled. From WSC 171 May 2001. What was happening this month On the subject...
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