By Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent
Parma will start next season with a five-point deduction and without Emanuele Calaio, who has been banned for two years.
The sanction has been imposed by the Italian Football Association’s national tribunal for an alleged match manipulation attempt towards the end of last season in Serie B.
WhatsApp messages from Calaio to several players from Spezia were considered to have been an attempt by the Parma forward to convince the opposition to let them get the win they needed to seal promotion.
An initial commission suggested Parma should be punished with a retrospective points deduction, which would have seen them fall behind Palermo in the final Serie B standings and consequently lose their place in Italy’s top flight.
However, the federation’s prosecutor, Antonio Mario Scino, on Monday deemed a more lenient punishment — which had been suggested initially as an alternative — be imposed, meaning Parma’s promotion is confirmed.
Calaio, who has also been fined €20,000, is expected to appeal his two-year ban while it is not yet clear whether Parma may also launch an appeal, which could see them risk receiving a more serious sentence.
The Serie A fixtures will be announced on Thursday, July 26.
Be the first to comment