Italian professional footballer, Nicolo Fagioli, has come under investigation by the FIGC, the Italian Football Federation, for allegedly breaching the sports justice code.
The 22-year-old, who plays for Juventus and has one Italy cap, was awarded the title of the best under-23 player in Serie A last season.
The investigation into Fagioli’s activities was initiated in August, and the Turin prosecutor’s office is also reported to have launched an investigation.
It is suspected that Fagioli used multiple identities to place bets on illegal football betting sites.
If found guilty, he could face a three-year suspension and a fine of 25,000 euros, as per the FIGC’s sports justice code, which prohibits professional players from betting on football.
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However, Fagioli’s lawyers responded to the allegations with a statement saying that the player was the one who initiated the investigation by going to the authorities.
They stated that Fagioli had approached the matter in a responsible manner and with full transparency and cooperation with the sporting and civil justice systems.
The lawyers further added that Fagioli was completely focused on Juventus and the Italian league and was at peace amid the ongoing investigations.
Juventus declined to comment on the matter when contacted by AFP.
The club has been dealing with various off-the-field scandals this year, including a fraud scandal that dominated last season, leading to the FIGC deducting ten points.
Additionally, French international midfielder Paul Pogba has been suspended since September 11 following a positive doping test and is facing a possible four-year ban.
Despite the ongoing investigations, Fagioli has played six matches for Juventus this season, and the club is currently third in Serie A.
