Italian footballers arrested in betting scandal
One of Italy’s most famous former footballers has been arrested along with 15 other players. They are accused of pre-arranging the outcome of games. The fallout could affect the battle for promotion to the top division, Serie A.
Reporter:
Mark Duff
What began with the arrest of a football legend is now threatening to cast a shadow over some of Italy's biggest clubs. When the diminutive former Italy striker Beppe Signori was arrested by police looking into an alleged betting scam, it looked as if the teams most directly affected were Atalanta and Siena - big enough names in Italy, both recently promoted to Serie A - but hardly household names abroad.
It's now emerged, though, that police are investigating four or five matches involving some of the biggest clubs in the land. The clubs themselves have not been accused of any wrongdoing. What investigators say they've uncovered is systematic match-fixing by a corrupt betting syndicate based in Bologna, which is even alleged to have spiked players' drinks in order to affect their performance.
Coming just five years after Italy's biggest club, Juventus, was relegated for its part in the country's worst-ever match-fixing scandal the news is unlikely to restore Italians' battered faith in their footballing heroes.
Mark Duff, BBC News, Milan
to cast a shadow over
(literalmente) ensombrecer / empañar
diminutive
muy pequeño
looking into
(que estaban) investigando
betting scam
estafa involucrando apuestas (en este caso con partidos de fútbol)
household names
personas famosas / muy conocidas
wrongdoing
maldad / fechoría
match-fixing
ardid ilegal que paga a futbolistas para asegurar el resultado de un partido
betting syndicate
un grupo de personas que trabaja para ganar dinero en apuestas
spiked
(de haber) drogado
relegated
bajado / relegado
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