Juventus released a statement assuring that the club contacted the authorities the moment it discovered that Nicolò Fagioli had breached betting regulations.
The first story about the midfielder placing bets emerged on August 1, claiming he suffered from a serious betting addiction.
That was reported by gossip columnist Fabrizio Corona, who today also suggested that Juventus knew Fagioli had an issue and tried to disguise it by pretending there was an injury, leaving him at home during the pre-season tour of the United States and giving him a form of rehabilitation.
This evening, Juventus released a formal statement on the club website denying this version of events.
“Regarding what was has been reported by several media outlets, Juventus FC specifies that as soon as it received news of the possible involvement of player Nicolò Fagioli in the matter of betting, it immediately and promptly contacted the FIGC Federal Prosecutor’s Office.”
Fagioli’s lawyers had previously confirmed that it was the player who handed himself in to the authorities after realising he had a problem with gambling.
Juventus assure they took all the required steps once ascertaining that one of their players had been placing bets, which is forbidden to all professional football athletes.
I can’t see the betting as a problem unless it becomes an addiction or that you are betting against your own team of yourself !