The Italian FA (FIGC) has banned Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli for at least seven months for violations of gambling rules, according to a statement released Tuesday.
The FIGC ban lasts a total of 12 months, five of which are suspended provided Fagioli completes six months of therapy for a gambling problem and attends at least 10 public meetings.
Fagioli was also fined €12,500 ($13,235) for violations related to gambling on soccer events organized by FIGC, FIFA or UEFA.
FIGC reserves the right to monitor Fagioli’s compliance with commutative measures and the ability to terminate the agreement if such measures are not met.
In a wide-ranging case in which prosecutors in Turin are also conducting a criminal investigation, Premier League players Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Zaniolo were questioned by police at an Italian training camp last week and more Serie A players may be involved.
Fagioli, who has been seeing a therapist to overcome his problems, has informed Italian football federation prosecutors about the case and has been cooperating with authorities to have his sentence reduced.
This allows the minimum three-year ban for players betting on football matches to be significantly reduced.
Fagioli reportedly never bets on matches involving Juventus.
Last Wednesday it was announced that Fagioli was under investigation for alleged gambling offences, and Turin’s public prosecutor confirmed La Stampa Daily’s report that the player was involved in a criminal investigation targeting users of illegal online gambling platforms, along with other unnamed suspects.
Fagioli has played in six of Juve’s eight Serie A games this season. Last November he made his debut for Italy, coming on as a substitute in a 3-1 away win against Albania.
He is not in the squad for the current round of international matches. Italy face England at Wembley on Tuesday evening.
The punishment given to Fagioli is in line with what FIGC president Gabriele Gravina said on Tuesday morning, that players addicted to gambling need help rather than heavy sanctions.
“These children are like children to me and they cannot be lambs to the slaughter when they grow up. “This is not a civilized way in a civil country,” said Gravina.
“In Italy there is a disease: gambling addiction is a social epidemic, not just one of the diseases of Italian football. There are 5.1 million people who play and 1.5 million people suffer. It is not surprising that some of them are also involved in football.”
“We will not back down. But we don’t just want to condemn — and those who made mistakes will be punished — everyone who asked for help will get it. The FIGC must not only punish, but also support the healing process.”
Tonali, who joined Newcastle from Milan at the end of the season, met prosecutors in Turin on Tuesday and hopes that by cooperating with the authorities he will receive a similar sanction to that imposed on Fagioli.
“Sandro played an important game against gambling addiction. He will win this match too,” said Tonali’s agent, Giuseppe Riso. “I like what Gravina said, it is important that the players do not feel alone. Congratulations to Newcastle, who have always been by Sandro’s side.”
Zaniolo’s situation seems different. Zaniolo, who is on loan at Aston Villa from Galatasaray, reportedly said he played blackjack on a website he did not realize was illegal but he had never bet on a football match.
If true, Zaniolo will most likely only be fined by prosecutors, not FIGC sanctions.
