[misha]

Vincenzo Iaquinta, David Di Michele and Marek Jankulovksi are among 21 players identified by public prosecutors in an alleged illegal betting probe.

The Udine prosecution office is on the verge of closing its investigation and will now pass on their findings to the Italian Football Federation, where chief investigator Francesco Saverio Borrelli and his staff will decide on how to proceed.

The inquiry was based on bets allegedly made by players between 1998 and 2005 which totalled close to £7m, the ANSA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Four drawn matches – Reggina-Bologna [May 8, 2005], Ascoli-Cagliari, Parma-Siena and Udinese-Chievo [April 22, 2006] – were also put under the microscope by prosecutors.

Players named in the enquiry, some of whom have now retired, are: Abeijon (Atalanta), Bia (ex-Bologna), Bordin (ex-Napoli), Di Michele (Palermo), Ferrante (Pescara), Fresi (ex-Inter), Gregori (ex-Udinese), Iaquinta (Udinese), Jankulovski (Milan), Kalac (Milan), Thomas Manfredini (Bologna), Margiotta (Frosinone), Pierini (ex-Udinese), Pineda (ex-Udinese), Pinzi (Udinese), Scarlato (Spezia), Schwoch (Vicenza), Sgrigna (Vicenza), Sommese (Mantova), Sosa (Napoli) and Walem (ex-Udinese).

All the players involved have denied any wrongdoing. Nobody has been charged with any offence.

The Italian Football Federation, whose rules do not allow players to bet on games, will now have to verify whether any rules have been broken.

Should any player be found guilty of illegal sporting activity then they could be banned for at least a year.

Football Italia

[dst]

i mean... betting on what? why? what is this nonsense?

betting on the outcome of football matches... they're not allowed to!