BREAKING NEWS: England star Kieran Trippier is charged with breaching the same FA gambling rules that saw Daniel Sturridge hit with four-month ban over bets placed related to his £20m move to Atletico Madrid from Tottenham

• Kieran Trippier faces a ban from football after allegedly breaching betting rules
• The FA have charged him over bets placed related to his move to Atletico Madrid
• Trippier said: ‘I have at no stage placed football related bets during my career’
• He has been charged with breaching the same betting rules as Daniel Sturridge
• Sturridge received a four-month suspension and was hit with a £150,000 fine 

By Sami Mokbel for the Daily Mail

Published: 11:01 EDT, 1 May 2020 | Updated: 17:32 EDT, 1 May 2020

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England international footballer Kieran Trippier has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of the English Football Association’s (FA) Betting Rules.

According to the FA, Trippier breached rules E8(1)(a)(ii) and E8(1)(b) in July 2019, but did not go into further detail on the alleged offences.

Trippier was playing for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur until 17 July 2019, when he left to join Spanish La Liga side Atlético Madrid.

FA Betting Rule E8(1)(a) states a participant shall not bet or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of, or occurrence in or in connection with, a match or competition.

Rule E8(1)(a) also bans betting on any other matter concerning or related to football anywhere in the world, including player transfers, the employment of managers, team selection and disciplinary matters.

Meanwhile, Rule E8(1)(b) refers to where a participant provides to any other person information relating to football that they obtained as a result of of their position within the game and is not publicly available at that time.

The FA said that a participant would be deemed in breach of this rule when any of the information is used by that other person for, or in relation to, betting.

According to FA Rule E8, players, coaching staff, officials and club employees are not permitted to bet on games or other matters related to the club.

The FA said Trippier will have until 18 May to provide a response to the ruling.

In March, the FA suspended former England and Liverpool footballer Daniel Sturridge for breaching its gambling regulations, after his initial punishment was deemed too lenient.

In July 2019, Sturridge initially received a two-week ban, plus a further four suspended, after the independent regulatory commission found that he had instructed his brother to bet on the player joining Sevilla in the January 2018 transfer window. This transfer never materialised.

However, the FA appealed the ruling, calling for both a stronger sentence for the breaches of which Sturridge, and for the commission to reconsider its dismissal of eight other charges.

The additional charges that were dismissed all concerned Rule E8(1)(b) of the FA’s rules.
 

Last week, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho addressed a mild spat with Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte regarding over-zealous celebrations by issuing an acknowledgement of sorts.

“The only thing I want to say to end the story is that yes, I made mistakes in the past on the touchline,” the Portuguese said. “Yes, I will make less, but I think I will still make a few.”

However, Mourinho then added: “But what never happened to me and will never happen is to be suspended for match-fixing.”

Related

That last line sparked a furious response from Conte, who labelled Mourinho “a little man” for bringing match-fixing into the argument. 

But what is the story behind Mourinho’s reference? Goal is here to explain all…

---

WAS CONTE EVER ACCUSED OF MATCH-FIXING?

---

Conte was never actually accused of match-fixing but it was claimed that he had been aware of two attempts to do so and had failed to alert the relevant authorities.

The charges related to the former Italy international’s time in charge of Siena between May 2010 and May 2011, just before he took charge of Juventus.

During the Cremona-based investigation (Operation: Last Bet) into the Calcio Scommesse betting scandal of 2011, former Siena player Filippo Carobbio claimed that plans were made to fix a game against Novara in April 2011 because Siena president Massimo Mezzaroma had placed a significant sum of money on a draw. The game finished 2-2. 

Carobbio claims Conte was fully aware of the plot.

“There was an agreement for the draw and, in fact, we speak about it during our technical meeting,” he stated in 2012. “We were all aware of the agreed outcome, above all so that we could act accordingly during the game. The coach himself, Antonio Conte, told us that we could rest easy as we had reached an agreement with Novara.”

However, Carobbio also alleged that Conte knew of a second attempt to arrange a result, against AlbinoLeffe towards the tail end of the same season. 

According to Carobbio, in January 2011, Siena assistant coach Cristian Stellini instructed him and team-mate Claudio Terzi to get in contact with players from AlbinoLeffe to “make arrangements for the return game, so that the points would go to the side with the greater need.” At the time, Siena had already secured promotion to Serie A, while their opponents were battling relegation.

AlbinoLeffe prevailed 1-0, although Carobbio claimed that not everybody at Siena wanted to roll over.

“Some wanted to win, hoping to finish first and get the maximum bonus [for doing so],” he said. “However, in the end, we all agreed, the team and the coach, to give the win to AlbinoLeffe.”

---

HOW DID CONTE REACT TO THE CHARGES?

---

Conte was cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the Novara fixture. However, it was ruled that he had been aware of the attempt to arrange the outcome of the game against AlbinoLeffe and subsequently failed to report the plot to the authorities.

The former midfielder maintained throughout that he knew of no such illegal activity. However, on the advice of his lawyer, he did agree to a plea-bargain put forward by the prosecutor, Stefano Palazzi, that would have seen him accept a three-month touchline ban but without having to issue any kind of admission of guilt.

This proposal was rejected by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), much to Conte’s shock.

“I agree with the judges on one thing: 90 days wasn’t a suitable punishment – the right one is zero,” he argued. “Even if today I had the certainty of a three-month ban, my answer would have been ‘no’. I didn’t do anything illegal and I didn’t fail to report anything.”

Consequently, Conte thus rejected the prosecutor’s offer to try to negotiate a second plea-bargain that the FIGC’s Disciplinary Committee would accept. Moreover, he claimed that he had been coerced into accepting the original deal with Palazzi. 

“I consider a plea-bargain blackmail,” he fumed. “I’m an innocent person yet I’m told by my lawyer to plea-bargain. It’s embarrassing. They have ruined my credibility in the changing room. Those people who know me know what type of person Antonio Conte is…

“Now I’m afraid to argue with one of my own players. If I send one of my players into the stands, then this type of thing can happen. They believe the word of someone who has been selling games for three-and-a-half years!”

Carobbio’s credibility was repeatedly questioned by others, given not one other Siena player implicated Conte in the fix. It was simply a case of one man’s word against the other and, given Conte was tried in a process that considers a defendant guilty until proven innocent, it was perhaps unsurprising that he was not only banned for 10 months but that this ruling was upheld by the Italian Federal Court.

---

DID CONTE APPEAL AGAINST HIS TOUCHLINE BAN?

---

The sentence infuriated both Conte and his then employers Juventus, as the charge relating to the Novara game had been dropped by that point, after it had been disproved that he had made up an injury to striker Salvatore Mastronunzio in order to justify his exclusion from the starting line-up. 

Conte, thus, appealed once more and his ban was eventually reduced to four months by the National Court for Sports Arbitration (TNAS). He was thus unable to sit on the bench for most of the first half of the 2012-13 season.

Conte remained indignant, continuing to protest his innocence, but the prosecutors argued that he could not have known that his assistant coach, Stellini – who was eventually suspended for two-and-a-half years – had agreed to fix the AlbinoLeffe encounter.

Palazzi also defended Carobbio’s motives for implicating his ex-boss: “He would have got the same penalty even if he had not mentioned Conte’s name. So, there was no element of personal animosity. Instead, we have shown that there is consistency in the player’s statements.”

It was for that reason that Conte was charged with sporting fraud and put on trial in 2016, just before he took Italy to the European Championship in France. Indeed, the authorities having agreed to fast-track the process in order to allow Conte to learn his fate before the tournament.

The prosecutor has called for a six-month suspended jail sentence and an €8,000 fine but Conte was ultimately found not guilty, with Judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi ruling thee case against the Azzurri coach “baseless”.

---

THE END OF CONTE’S ‘TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE’

---

After being found innocent, an emotional Conte took to Facebook to issue a statement on his ordeal.

“Four years ago, with the search which took place in my home at five o’clock in the morning, began a nightmare which at times I thought I could never finish,” he wrote.

“[Those who I am] close to and know me, know how much I’ve suffered at the very idea that we could pull over my name to the shame of Calcio Scommesse .

“Today finally puts an end to this ugly story.

Article continues below

“As I have always said, even to those who were called upon to judge me, I’m a man of sport and I don’t know any other way to get to success if not through sacrifice and total dedication.

“It’s been a terrible experience that I faced with my head held high. It shows the path that I’ve decided to undertake within the process, without looking for comfortable loopholes as I have always done in life and in sport.

“To all those who have never doubted my loyalty, I want to express my gratitude, and to reassure that from this test came out a stronger person and even more motivated.”

Last week, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho addressed a mild spat with Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte regarding over-zealous celebrations by issuing an acknowledgement of sorts.

“The only thing I want to say to end the story is that yes, I made mistakes in the past on the touchline,” the Portuguese said. “Yes, I will make less, but I think I will still make a few.”

However, Mourinho then added: “But what never happened to me and will never happen is to be suspended for match-fixing.”

Related

That last line sparked a furious response from Conte, who labelled Mourinho “a little man” for bringing match-fixing into the argument. 

But what is the story behind Mourinho’s reference? Goal is here to explain all…

---

WAS CONTE EVER ACCUSED OF MATCH-FIXING?

---

Conte was never actually accused of match-fixing but it was claimed that he had been aware of two attempts to do so and had failed to alert the relevant authorities.

The charges related to the former Italy international’s time in charge of Siena between May 2010 and May 2011, just before he took charge of Juventus.

During the Cremona-based investigation (Operation: Last Bet) into the Calcio Scommesse betting scandal of 2011, former Siena player Filippo Carobbio claimed that plans were made to fix a game against Novara in April 2011 because Siena president Massimo Mezzaroma had placed a significant sum of money on a draw. The game finished 2-2. 

Carobbio claims Conte was fully aware of the plot.

“There was an agreement for the draw and, in fact, we speak about it during our technical meeting,” he stated in 2012. “We were all aware of the agreed outcome, above all so that we could act accordingly during the game. The coach himself, Antonio Conte, told us that we could rest easy as we had reached an agreement with Novara.”

However, Carobbio also alleged that Conte knew of a second attempt to arrange a result, against AlbinoLeffe towards the tail end of the same season. 

According to Carobbio, in January 2011, Siena assistant coach Cristian Stellini instructed him and team-mate Claudio Terzi to get in contact with players from AlbinoLeffe to “make arrangements for the return game, so that the points would go to the side with the greater need.” At the time, Siena had already secured promotion to Serie A, while their opponents were battling relegation.

AlbinoLeffe prevailed 1-0, although Carobbio claimed that not everybody at Siena wanted to roll over.

“Some wanted to win, hoping to finish first and get the maximum bonus [for doing so],” he said. “However, in the end, we all agreed, the team and the coach, to give the win to AlbinoLeffe.”

---

HOW DID CONTE REACT TO THE CHARGES?

---

Conte was cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the Novara fixture. However, it was ruled that he had been aware of the attempt to arrange the outcome of the game against AlbinoLeffe and subsequently failed to report the plot to the authorities.

The former midfielder maintained throughout that he knew of no such illegal activity. However, on the advice of his lawyer, he did agree to a plea-bargain put forward by the prosecutor, Stefano Palazzi, that would have seen him accept a three-month touchline ban but without having to issue any kind of admission of guilt.

This proposal was rejected by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), much to Conte’s shock.

“I agree with the judges on one thing: 90 days wasn’t a suitable punishment – the right one is zero,” he argued. “Even if today I had the certainty of a three-month ban, my answer would have been ‘no’. I didn’t do anything illegal and I didn’t fail to report anything.”

Consequently, Conte thus rejected the prosecutor’s offer to try to negotiate a second plea-bargain that the FIGC’s Disciplinary Committee would accept. Moreover, he claimed that he had been coerced into accepting the original deal with Palazzi. 

“I consider a plea-bargain blackmail,” he fumed. “I’m an innocent person yet I’m told by my lawyer to plea-bargain. It’s embarrassing. They have ruined my credibility in the changing room. Those people who know me know what type of person Antonio Conte is…

“Now I’m afraid to argue with one of my own players. If I send one of my players into the stands, then this type of thing can happen. They believe the word of someone who has been selling games for three-and-a-half years!”

Carobbio’s credibility was repeatedly questioned by others, given not one other Siena player implicated Conte in the fix. It was simply a case of one man’s word against the other and, given Conte was tried in a process that considers a defendant guilty until proven innocent, it was perhaps unsurprising that he was not only banned for 10 months but that this ruling was upheld by the Italian Federal Court.

---

DID CONTE APPEAL AGAINST HIS TOUCHLINE BAN?

---

The sentence infuriated both Conte and his then employers Juventus, as the charge relating to the Novara game had been dropped by that point, after it had been disproved that he had made up an injury to striker Salvatore Mastronunzio in order to justify his exclusion from the starting line-up. 

Conte, thus, appealed once more and his ban was eventually reduced to four months by the National Court for Sports Arbitration (TNAS). He was thus unable to sit on the bench for most of the first half of the 2012-13 season.

Conte remained indignant, continuing to protest his innocence, but the prosecutors argued that he could not have known that his assistant coach, Stellini – who was eventually suspended for two-and-a-half years – had agreed to fix the AlbinoLeffe encounter.

Palazzi also defended Carobbio’s motives for implicating his ex-boss: “He would have got the same penalty even if he had not mentioned Conte’s name. So, there was no element of personal animosity. Instead, we have shown that there is consistency in the player’s statements.”

It was for that reason that Conte was charged with sporting fraud and put on trial in 2016, just before he took Italy to the European Championship in France. Indeed, the authorities having agreed to fast-track the process in order to allow Conte to learn his fate before the tournament.

The prosecutor has called for a six-month suspended jail sentence and an €8,000 fine but Conte was ultimately found not guilty, with Judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi ruling thee case against the Azzurri coach “baseless”.

---

THE END OF CONTE’S ‘TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE’

---

After being found innocent, an emotional Conte took to Facebook to issue a statement on his ordeal.

“Four years ago, with the search which took place in my home at five o’clock in the morning, began a nightmare which at times I thought I could never finish,” he wrote.

“[Those who I am] close to and know me, know how much I’ve suffered at the very idea that we could pull over my name to the shame of Calcio Scommesse .

“Today finally puts an end to this ugly story.

Article continues below

“As I have always said, even to those who were called upon to judge me, I’m a man of sport and I don’t know any other way to get to success if not through sacrifice and total dedication.

“It’s been a terrible experience that I faced with my head held high. It shows the path that I’ve decided to undertake within the process, without looking for comfortable loopholes as I have always done in life and in sport.

“To all those who have never doubted my loyalty, I want to express my gratitude, and to reassure that from this test came out a stronger person and even more motivated.”

Last week, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho addressed a mild spat with Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte regarding over-zealous celebrations by issuing an acknowledgement of sorts.

“The only thing I want to say to end the story is that yes, I made mistakes in the past on the touchline,” the Portuguese said. “Yes, I will make less, but I think I will still make a few.”

However, Mourinho then added: “But what never happened to me and will never happen is to be suspended for match-fixing.”

Related

That last line sparked a furious response from Conte, who labelled Mourinho “a little man” for bringing match-fixing into the argument. 

But what is the story behind Mourinho’s reference? Goal is here to explain all…

---

WAS CONTE EVER ACCUSED OF MATCH-FIXING?

---

Conte was never actually accused of match-fixing but it was claimed that he had been aware of two attempts to do so and had failed to alert the relevant authorities.

The charges related to the former Italy international’s time in charge of Siena between May 2010 and May 2011, just before he took charge of Juventus.

During the Cremona-based investigation (Operation: Last Bet) into the Calcio Scommesse betting scandal of 2011, former Siena player Filippo Carobbio claimed that plans were made to fix a game against Novara in April 2011 because Siena president Massimo Mezzaroma had placed a significant sum of money on a draw. The game finished 2-2. 

Carobbio claims Conte was fully aware of the plot.

“There was an agreement for the draw and, in fact, we speak about it during our technical meeting,” he stated in 2012. “We were all aware of the agreed outcome, above all so that we could act accordingly during the game. The coach himself, Antonio Conte, told us that we could rest easy as we had reached an agreement with Novara.”

However, Carobbio also alleged that Conte knew of a second attempt to arrange a result, against AlbinoLeffe towards the tail end of the same season. 

According to Carobbio, in January 2011, Siena assistant coach Cristian Stellini instructed him and team-mate Claudio Terzi to get in contact with players from AlbinoLeffe to “make arrangements for the return game, so that the points would go to the side with the greater need.” At the time, Siena had already secured promotion to Serie A, while their opponents were battling relegation.

AlbinoLeffe prevailed 1-0, although Carobbio claimed that not everybody at Siena wanted to roll over.

“Some wanted to win, hoping to finish first and get the maximum bonus [for doing so],” he said. “However, in the end, we all agreed, the team and the coach, to give the win to AlbinoLeffe.”

---

HOW DID CONTE REACT TO THE CHARGES?

---

Conte was cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the Novara fixture. However, it was ruled that he had been aware of the attempt to arrange the outcome of the game against AlbinoLeffe and subsequently failed to report the plot to the authorities.

The former midfielder maintained throughout that he knew of no such illegal activity. However, on the advice of his lawyer, he did agree to a plea-bargain put forward by the prosecutor, Stefano Palazzi, that would have seen him accept a three-month touchline ban but without having to issue any kind of admission of guilt.

This proposal was rejected by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), much to Conte’s shock.

“I agree with the judges on one thing: 90 days wasn’t a suitable punishment – the right one is zero,” he argued. “Even if today I had the certainty of a three-month ban, my answer would have been ‘no’. I didn’t do anything illegal and I didn’t fail to report anything.”

Consequently, Conte thus rejected the prosecutor’s offer to try to negotiate a second plea-bargain that the FIGC’s Disciplinary Committee would accept. Moreover, he claimed that he had been coerced into accepting the original deal with Palazzi. 

“I consider a plea-bargain blackmail,” he fumed. “I’m an innocent person yet I’m told by my lawyer to plea-bargain. It’s embarrassing. They have ruined my credibility in the changing room. Those people who know me know what type of person Antonio Conte is…

“Now I’m afraid to argue with one of my own players. If I send one of my players into the stands, then this type of thing can happen. They believe the word of someone who has been selling games for three-and-a-half years!”

Carobbio’s credibility was repeatedly questioned by others, given not one other Siena player implicated Conte in the fix. It was simply a case of one man’s word against the other and, given Conte was tried in a process that considers a defendant guilty until proven innocent, it was perhaps unsurprising that he was not only banned for 10 months but that this ruling was upheld by the Italian Federal Court.

---

DID CONTE APPEAL AGAINST HIS TOUCHLINE BAN?

---

The sentence infuriated both Conte and his then employers Juventus, as the charge relating to the Novara game had been dropped by that point, after it had been disproved that he had made up an injury to striker Salvatore Mastronunzio in order to justify his exclusion from the starting line-up. 

Conte, thus, appealed once more and his ban was eventually reduced to four months by the National Court for Sports Arbitration (TNAS). He was thus unable to sit on the bench for most of the first half of the 2012-13 season.

Conte remained indignant, continuing to protest his innocence, but the prosecutors argued that he could not have known that his assistant coach, Stellini – who was eventually suspended for two-and-a-half years – had agreed to fix the AlbinoLeffe encounter.

Palazzi also defended Carobbio’s motives for implicating his ex-boss: “He would have got the same penalty even if he had not mentioned Conte’s name. So, there was no element of personal animosity. Instead, we have shown that there is consistency in the player’s statements.”

It was for that reason that Conte was charged with sporting fraud and put on trial in 2016, just before he took Italy to the European Championship in France. Indeed, the authorities having agreed to fast-track the process in order to allow Conte to learn his fate before the tournament.

The prosecutor has called for a six-month suspended jail sentence and an €8,000 fine but Conte was ultimately found not guilty, with Judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi ruling thee case against the Azzurri coach “baseless”.

---

THE END OF CONTE’S ‘TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE’

---

After being found innocent, an emotional Conte took to Facebook to issue a statement on his ordeal.

“Four years ago, with the search which took place in my home at five o’clock in the morning, began a nightmare which at times I thought I could never finish,” he wrote.

“[Those who I am] close to and know me, know how much I’ve suffered at the very idea that we could pull over my name to the shame of Calcio Scommesse .

“Today finally puts an end to this ugly story.

Article continues below

“As I have always said, even to those who were called upon to judge me, I’m a man of sport and I don’t know any other way to get to success if not through sacrifice and total dedication.

“It’s been a terrible experience that I faced with my head held high. It shows the path that I’ve decided to undertake within the process, without looking for comfortable loopholes as I have always done in life and in sport.

“To all those who have never doubted my loyalty, I want to express my gratitude, and to reassure that from this test came out a stronger person and even more motivated.”

Last week, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho addressed a mild spat with Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte regarding over-zealous celebrations by issuing an acknowledgement of sorts.

“The only thing I want to say to end the story is that yes, I made mistakes in the past on the touchline,” the Portuguese said. “Yes, I will make less, but I think I will still make a few.”

However, Mourinho then added: “But what never happened to me and will never happen is to be suspended for match-fixing.”

Related

That last line sparked a furious response from Conte, who labelled Mourinho “a little man” for bringing match-fixing into the argument. 

But what is the story behind Mourinho’s reference? Goal is here to explain all…

---

WAS CONTE EVER ACCUSED OF MATCH-FIXING?

---

Conte was never actually accused of match-fixing but it was claimed that he had been aware of two attempts to do so and had failed to alert the relevant authorities.

The charges related to the former Italy international’s time in charge of Siena between May 2010 and May 2011, just before he took charge of Juventus.

During the Cremona-based investigation (Operation: Last Bet) into the Calcio Scommesse betting scandal of 2011, former Siena player Filippo Carobbio claimed that plans were made to fix a game against Novara in April 2011 because Siena president Massimo Mezzaroma had placed a significant sum of money on a draw. The game finished 2-2. 

Carobbio claims Conte was fully aware of the plot.

“There was an agreement for the draw and, in fact, we speak about it during our technical meeting,” he stated in 2012. “We were all aware of the agreed outcome, above all so that we could act accordingly during the game. The coach himself, Antonio Conte, told us that we could rest easy as we had reached an agreement with Novara.”

However, Carobbio also alleged that Conte knew of a second attempt to arrange a result, against AlbinoLeffe towards the tail end of the same season. 

According to Carobbio, in January 2011, Siena assistant coach Cristian Stellini instructed him and team-mate Claudio Terzi to get in contact with players from AlbinoLeffe to “make arrangements for the return game, so that the points would go to the side with the greater need.” At the time, Siena had already secured promotion to Serie A, while their opponents were battling relegation.

AlbinoLeffe prevailed 1-0, although Carobbio claimed that not everybody at Siena wanted to roll over.

“Some wanted to win, hoping to finish first and get the maximum bonus [for doing so],” he said. “However, in the end, we all agreed, the team and the coach, to give the win to AlbinoLeffe.”

---

HOW DID CONTE REACT TO MATCH-FIXING CHARGES?

---

Conte was cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the Novara fixture. However, it was ruled that he had been aware of the attempt to arrange the outcome of the game against AlbinoLeffe and subsequently failed to report the plot to the authorities.

The former midfielder maintained throughout that he knew of no such illegal activity. However, on the advice of his lawyer, he did agree to a plea-bargain put forward by the prosecutor, Stefano Palazzi, that would have seen him accept a three-month touchline ban but without having to issue any kind of admission of guilt.

This proposal was rejected by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), much to Conte’s shock.

“I agree with the judges on one thing: 90 days wasn’t a suitable punishment – the right one is zero,” he argued. “Even if today I had the certainty of a three-month ban, my answer would have been ‘no’. I didn’t do anything illegal and I didn’t fail to report anything.”

Consequently, Conte thus rejected the prosecutor’s offer to try to negotiate a second plea-bargain that the FIGC’s Disciplinary Committee would accept. Moreover, he claimed that he had been coerced into accepting the original deal with Palazzi. 

“I consider a plea-bargain blackmail,” he fumed. “I’m an innocent person yet I’m told by my lawyer to plea-bargain. It’s embarrassing. They have ruined my credibility in the changing room. Those people who know me know what type of person Antonio Conte is…

“Now I’m afraid to argue with one of my own players. If I send one of my players into the stands, then this type of thing can happen. They believe the word of someone who has been selling games for three-and-a-half years!”

Carobbio’s credibility was repeatedly questioned by others, given not one other Siena player implicated Conte in the fix. It was simply a case of one man’s word against the other and, given Conte was tried in a process that considers a defendant guilty until proven innocent, it was perhaps unsurprising that he was not only banned for 10 months but that this ruling was upheld by the Italian Federal Court.

---

DID CONTE APPEAL AGAINST HIS TOUCHLINE BAN?

---

The sentence infuriated both Conte and his then employers Juventus, as the charge relating to the Novara game had been dropped by that point, after it had been disproved that he had made up an injury to striker Salvatore Mastronunzio in order to justify his exclusion from the starting line-up. 

Conte, thus, appealed once more and his ban was eventually reduced to four months by the National Court for Sports Arbitration (TNAS). He was thus unable to sit on the bench for most of the first half of the 2012-13 season.

Conte remained indignant, continuing to protest his innocence, but the prosecutors argued that he could not have known that his assistant coach, Stellini – who was eventually suspended for two-and-a-half years – had agreed to fix the AlbinoLeffe encounter.

Palazzi also defended Carobbio’s motives for implicating his ex-boss: “He would have got the same penalty even if he had not mentioned Conte’s name. So, there was no element of personal animosity. Instead, we have shown that there is consistency in the player’s statements.”

It was for that reason that Conte was charged with sporting fraud and put on trial in 2016, just before he took Italy to the European Championship in France. Indeed, the authorities having agreed to fast-track the process in order to allow Conte to learn his fate before the tournament.

The prosecutor has called for a six-month suspended jail sentence and an €8,000 fine but Conte was ultimately found not guilty, with Judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi ruling thee case against the Azzurri coach “baseless”.

---

THE END OF CONTE’S ‘TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE’

---

After being found innocent, an emotional Conte took to Facebook to issue a statement on his ordeal.

“Four years ago, with the search which took place in my home at five o’clock in the morning, began a nightmare which at times I thought I could never finish,” he wrote.

“[Those who I am] close to and know me, know how much I’ve suffered at the very idea that we could pull over my name to the shame of Calcio Scommesse .

“Today finally puts an end to this ugly story.

Article continues below

“As I have always said, even to those who were called upon to judge me, I’m a man of sport and I don’t know any other way to get to success if not through sacrifice and total dedication.

“It’s been a terrible experience that I faced with my head held high. It shows the path that I’ve decided to undertake within the process, without looking for comfortable loopholes as I have always done in life and in sport.

“To all those who have never doubted my loyalty, I want to express my gratitude, and to reassure that from this test came out a stronger person and even more motivated.”

Last week, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho addressed a mild spat with Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte regarding over-zealous celebrations by issuing an acknowledgement of sorts.

“The only thing I want to say to end the story is that yes, I made mistakes in the past on the touchline,” the Portuguese said. “Yes, I will make less, but I think I will still make a few.”

However, Mourinho then added: “But what never happened to me and will never happen is to be suspended for match-fixing.”

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That last line sparked a furious response from Conte, who labelled Mourinho “a little man” for bringing match-fixing into the argument. 

But what is the story behind Mourinho’s reference? Goal is here to explain all…

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WAS CONTE EVER ACCUSED OF MATCH-FIXING?

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Conte was never actually accused of match-fixing but it was claimed that he had been aware of two attempts to do so and had failed to alert the relevant authorities.

The charges related to the former Italy international’s time in charge of Siena between May 2010 and May 2011, just before he took charge of Juventus.

During the Cremona-based investigation (Operation: Last Bet) into the Calcio Scommesse betting scandal of 2011, former Siena player Filippo Carobbio claimed that plans were made to fix a game against Novara in April 2011 because Siena president Massimo Mezzaroma had placed a significant sum of money on a draw. The game finished 2-2. 

Carobbio claims Conte was fully aware of the plot.

“There was an agreement for the draw and, in fact, we speak about it during our technical meeting,” he stated in 2012. “We were all aware of the agreed outcome, above all so that we could act accordingly during the game. The coach himself, Antonio Conte, told us that we could rest easy as we had reached an agreement with Novara.”

However, Carobbio also alleged that Conte knew of a second attempt to arrange a result, against AlbinoLeffe towards the tail end of the same season. 

According to Carobbio, in January 2011, Siena assistant coach Cristian Stellini instructed him and team-mate Claudio Terzi to get in contact with players from AlbinoLeffe to “make arrangements for the return game, so that the points would go to the side with the greater need.” At the time, Siena had already secured promotion to Serie A, while their opponents were battling relegation.

AlbinoLeffe prevailed 1-0, although Carobbio claimed that not everybody at Siena wanted to roll over.

“Some wanted to win, hoping to finish first and get the maximum bonus [for doing so],” he said. “However, in the end, we all agreed, the team and the coach, to give the win to AlbinoLeffe.”

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HOW DID CONTE REACT TO MATCH-FIXING CHARGES?

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Conte was cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the Novara fixture. However, it was ruled that he had been aware of the attempt to arrange the outcome of the game against AlbinoLeffe and subsequently failed to report the plot to the authorities.

The former midfielder maintained throughout that he knew of no such illegal activity. However, on the advice of his lawyer, he did agree to a plea-bargain put forward by the prosecutor, Stefano Palazzi, that would have seen him accept a three-month touchline ban but without having to issue any kind of admission of guilt.

This proposal was rejected by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), much to Conte’s shock.

“I agree with the judges on one thing: 90 days wasn’t a suitable punishment – the right one is zero,” he argued. “Even if today I had the certainty of a three-month ban, my answer would have been ‘no’. I didn’t do anything illegal and I didn’t fail to report anything.”

Consequently, Conte thus rejected the prosecutor’s offer to try to negotiate a second plea-bargain that the FIGC’s Disciplinary Committee would accept. Moreover, he claimed that he had been coerced into accepting the original deal with Palazzi. 

“I consider a plea-bargain blackmail,” he fumed. “I’m an innocent person yet I’m told by my lawyer to plea-bargain. It’s embarrassing. They have ruined my credibility in the changing room. Those people who know me know what type of person Antonio Conte is…

“Now I’m afraid to argue with one of my own players. If I send one of my players into the stands, then this type of thing can happen. They believe the word of someone who has been selling games for three-and-a-half years!”

Carobbio’s credibility was repeatedly questioned by others, given not one other Siena player implicated Conte in the fix. It was simply a case of one man’s word against the other and, given Conte was tried in a process that considers a defendant guilty until proven innocent, it was perhaps unsurprising that he was not only banned for 10 months but that this ruling was upheld by the Italian Federal Court.

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DID CONTE APPEAL AGAINST HIS TOUCHLINE BAN?

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The sentence infuriated both Conte and his then employers Juventus, as the charge relating to the Novara game had been dropped by that point, after it had been disproved that he had made up an injury to striker Salvatore Mastronunzio in order to justify his exclusion from the starting line-up. 

Conte, thus, appealed once more and his ban was eventually reduced to four months by the National Court for Sports Arbitration (TNAS). He was thus unable to sit on the bench for most of the first half of the 2012-13 season.

Conte remained indignant, continuing to protest his innocence, but the prosecutors argued that he could not have known that his assistant coach, Stellini – who was eventually suspended for two-and-a-half years – had agreed to fix the AlbinoLeffe encounter.

Palazzi also defended Carobbio’s motives for implicating his ex-boss: “He would have got the same penalty even if he had not mentioned Conte’s name. So, there was no element of personal animosity. Instead, we have shown that there is consistency in the player’s statements.”

It was for that reason that Conte was charged with sporting fraud and put on trial in 2016, just before he took Italy to the European Championship in France. Indeed, the authorities having agreed to fast-track the process in order to allow Conte to learn his fate before the tournament.

The prosecutor has called for a six-month suspended jail sentence and an €8,000 fine but Conte was ultimately found not guilty, with Judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi ruling thee case against the Azzurri coach “baseless”.

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THE END OF CONTE’S ‘TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE’

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After being found innocent, an emotional Conte took to Facebook to issue a statement on his ordeal.

“Four years ago, with the search which took place in my home at five o’clock in the morning, began a nightmare which at times I thought I could never finish,” he wrote.

“[Those who I am] close to and know me, know how much I’ve suffered at the very idea that we could pull over my name to the shame of Calcio Scommesse .

“Today finally puts an end to this ugly story.

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“As I have always said, even to those who were called upon to judge me, I’m a man of sport and I don’t know any other way to get to success if not through sacrifice and total dedication.

“It’s been a terrible experience that I faced with my head held high. It shows the path that I’ve decided to undertake within the process, without looking for comfortable loopholes as I have always done in life and in sport.

“To all those who have never doubted my loyalty, I want to express my gratitude, and to reassure that from this test came out a stronger person and even more motivated.”

FINED

ABERDEEN director Duncan Skinner has been fined £1,000 after being charged with breaking betting rules over the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 footie seasons.

SFA chiefs have carpeted former oil and gas exec Skinner – who also sits on the board of Sportscotland – over breaches of gambling rules.

And after a hearing at Hampden today the non-executive director has been disciplined by the SFA.

Strict rules ban any “club official” from gambling on games – with players such as ex-Rangers pair Ian Black and Steve Simonsen having been banned and fined in the past.

Skinner admitted at the tribunal to breaking Disciplinary Rule 31 – “No club, official, Team Official or other member of Team Staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall gamble in any way on a football match” in seasons 2014-15 and 2015-16.

PA:Press Association

He has been fined £500 for breaching the rule in season 2014/15 and another charge of £500 for 2015/16.

In the 2014/15 season he placed 13 bets involving 26 games, including one on Aberdeen to draw a game.

And in 2015/16, he placed 276 bets involving 653 games including 33 on the Dons to win and two on them to draw.

He still faces two charges under the same rule 31 for seasons 2016-17 and 2017-18 – including include one bet on the Dons to lose to Celtic at Parkhead in February this year – when the Hoops won 1-0.

 

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Another Disciplinary Tribunal will be held on March 29 2018 in relation to these charges.

In 2016/17, it’s claimed Skinner placed 282 bets on 721 games including 37 on his club to win, three on them to draw and one on them to lose.

This season, he has placed 18 bets involving 65 games including three on Aberdeen to win and one on them to draw.

He faces a Hampden hearing in the New Year over claims he placed 589 bets covering 1465 matches over four seasons.

It’s understood Skinner was unaware the rules covered him.

The Dons have supported him, with the club and Skinner himself fully co-operating with the probe led by SFA compliance officer Tony McGlennan.

Annan Athletic chairman Henry McClelland was fined £3000 by the SFA in June this year after betting on 4011 games, including 430 involving his own club.

 

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An Aberdeen FC director has been fined by the Scottish FA for breaching football rules by placing bets on matches.

Duncan Skinner was charged by the governing body with placing 589 bets on almost 1500 matches over the course of four seasons, including one wager backing Celtic to beat Aberdeen in February of this year.

The governing body brought four charges against Skinner, one for each season in which he was believed to have placed bets. The claims against the non-executive director, who is also chairman of the Aberdeen FC Community Trust, were not linked to match-fixing.

Skinner was summoned to a disciplinary hearing in January but waived the normal preparation period to ask for an earlier date. An independent panel considered the case on Thursday and ruled that he was guilty of the first two charges and he was fined £1000 in total, to be paid within 30 days.

The remaining two charges have been deferred until March 29, 2018 to allow time to consider a report from Mr Skinner. In the interim, Aberdeen are to conduct a full internal review and remind office holders of their obligations under the Scottish FA’s rules.

The Scottish FA’s disciplinary rules state: “No club, official, team official or other member of team staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall gamble in any way on a football match.”