Seven arrested in Italy for fixing Catania matches

Seven people have been arrested over suspected match-fixing involving Catania in Serie B, police said on Tuesday.

The seven were accused of “fraud in sporting competition . . . aimed at influencing the results and altering the outcome of [Serie B] matches in which Catania were involved, with the consequent victory for that team,” Catania police said in a statement.

Police did not give any further details of when the manipulation took place or which matches were involved, but said a news conference would take place at 11am local time.

Catania, relegated from Serie A the previous season, finished 15th in Serie B, just three points above the relegation playoff places.

The Sicilian side were previously promoted from Serie B in 2005-06.

This isn't the first time Italian football has been the centre of match-fixing claims. Most notably in 2006 Italian police, implicated league champions Juventus, and other major teams including AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio, and Reggina to be rigging games by selecting favourable referees.

Juventus were stripped of their 2005 and 2006 Serie A titles and relegated to Serie B.