New Chelsea boss Antonio Conte faces match-fixing suspended prison sentence
Posted about 2 hours ago
An Italian court has called for new Chelsea manager Antonio Conte to receive a six-month suspended prison sentence over match-fixing allegations.
The current Italy manager, who will take over Chelsea after Euro 2016, is accused of sporting fraud.
The 'Calcioscommesse' corruption probe says the 46-year-old former Juventus boss failed to expose an alleged rigged second division match in May 2011.
The game involved Siena, which Conte managed at that time.
Conte, who denies any wrongdoing, was also ordered to pay an 8,000 euros ($12,083) fine, by Italian public prosecutor Roberto Di Martino.
The May 29 2011 game suspected of being fixed for betting purposes ended with a 1-0 away win for Conte's side at AlbinoLeffe.
Conte is one of around 100 suspects in the sprawling Calcioscommesse inquiry who are awaiting judgement.
In 2012, when he was in charge of Juventus, Conte was hit with a 10-month ban from football by the Italian football federation over the affair, reduced to four months suspended on appeal.
The new man at Stamford Bridge is due to hear his fate on whether he is hit with a criminal sentence in mid-May.
Conte's lawyers elected for a fast-track conclusion to his case in order to get it wrapped up before the European championships begin in France on June 10.
Tuesday's development comes less than 24 hours after Conte was appointed on a three-year deal to take charge of Chelsea.
He succeeds Guus Hiddink, appointed interim manager after Jose Mourinho's sacking in December.
Conte took took over the Italian national team in August 2014 and secured their Euro 2016 qualification.
He guided Juventus to three straight Serie A titles from 2012-14 before taking charge of Italy.
