The crime charged against the three Italian players involves a low fine, while the disqualification could reach up to five years
The Turin Prosecutor’s Office confirmed yesterday that Fagioli, Tonali and Zaniolo are accused of illegal gambling and betting, provided for by article 4 of law 401 of 1989. The contested paragraph is number 3 and concerns those who bet through systems illicit. The sanction includes “arrest of up to three months or a fine of one hundred thousand to one million lire” (this is not an error, the figure is also indicated in lire in the Official Journal). It is easy to understand that – even in euros… – we are talking about figures bordering on the ridiculous for a Serie A footballer. It would be different if the investigations revealed responsibility for the passage of money or involvement with organized crime. At the moment, however, the accusation is only that of having played on illegal sites and therefore cannot disturb the players too much.
The real risks
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The situation on the sports justice front is different, and not a little. Here the penalties – or disqualifications – risk being really heavy. Article 24 of the Sports Justice Code punishes players who place, directly or indirectly, “bets which have as their object results relating to official matches organized within the FIGC, FIFA and UEFA”. They practically can’t bet on football. Consequently, if Zaniolo’s version, who claims to have only played blackjack on an illegal platform, turns out to be true, there would be no violation for sporting justice. But if, as Fagioli has already admitted, someone had bet on one or more football matches, the sanction is at least 3 years of disqualification, which could become even 5 if it is proven that bets were made on the team’s matches in which the game is played, configuring a very clear aggravating circumstance. However, there are ways to obtain a discount: plea bargain before the referral and obtain a 50% reduction in the sentence (this is what Fagioli should do); negotiate a settlement between the referral and the first hearing with a reduction of one third; collaborate with the Prosecutor’s Office who, during the hearing, could ask the judging body for a cut, even a very significant one, in the sanction. In any case, there is a huge risk of disqualification. And it’s scary.