Rome: A former Italian senator has been assigned to clean up Italian soccer amid a widening scandal involving allegations of match-fixing, illegal betting and manipulation of referee assignments.
Guido Rossi, former chief of the Italian stock market regulator Consob and an expert in sporting law, was nominated on Monday as extraordinary commissioner of the soccer federation.
The Italian Olympic Committee was expected to confirm the nomination on Tuesday.
Rossi's nomination follows the resignation last week of Franco Carraro, who stepped down as president of the soccer federation amid accusations that his organization's officials conferred with Juventus to have certain referees assigned to the Turin club's games.
Prosecutors said last week four Serie A clubs - Juventus, Lazio, AC Milan and Fiorentina - are involved in the match-fixing probe.
The illegal betting probe has involved Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
The number of people who have been ordered to appear for questioning for suspected criminal association has already reached 41.
Naples prosecutors said Friday that investigators were looking into the rigging of 20 games from the 2004-05 season - all but one in the top league, Serie A.
The clubs could face severe penalties, including being stripped of their trophies and relegated to lower divisions.
On Monday, Rome prosecutors questioned Luciano Moggi, the Juventus general manager who resigned Sunday amid accusations he influenced the appointment of referees.
Italian media have printed extensive excerpts of phone calls between Moggi and soccer officials in which match officials for Serie A and Champions League games were discussed.
Juventus won its second straight Serie A title Sunday, but the club might be stripped of the title - as well as last year's championship - if found guilty of fraud.
Juventus stock continued to slide in trading early on Tuesday, dipping some 10 per cent, after shares were suspended on Monday on the Milan stock exchange for excessive losses.
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