October 18, (THEWILL) – The integrity of Italian football has been called into question after a betting scandal involving some of the country’s top players. Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali is facing a lengthy ban from the sport after admitting to placing bets on AC Milan matches during his time with the club.
Along with Tonali, Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo and Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli have been implicated in the scandal uncovered by Turin prosecutors. Fagioli has already accepted a reduced seven-month ban after fully cooperating with the investigation, as THEWILL reported.
Tonali was sent home early from Italy’s recent national team camp to be questioned by police. His agent revealed the 23-year-old has a gambling addiction and is seeking treatment. While initial inquiries suggested Tonali bet on poker and casino games, further examination of phones and devices showed he wagered on Milan matches he was involved in.
At a Tuesday hearing, Tonali confessed to the Italian Federation that he bet on Milan games during his San Siro stint. Newcastle officials were surprised by the admission, having thought his offences were not football-related.
The maximum punishment under FIFA rules is a 3-year global ban. However, Tonali’s sanction will likely be reduced since he admitted guilt. He could still miss the rest of Newcastle’s season after their top-four English Premier League finish saw them return to the UEFA Champions League.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
