Italy icon Gianfranco Zola has expressed his opinion on the betting scandal that has caught calcio off-guard, with high-profile names such as Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Fagioli being handed season bans. The former was given a 10-month sentence, although its validity in England is still being debated, whereas the latter was handed a seven-month ban.
Zola, who is currently in charge as vice-president to Lega Pro urged the tainted players to take responsibility and learn lessons for life following their suspensions.
“I learned with immense sadness, because I am in love with sport and I imagine what the people involved are experiencing. They are kids, like we all were, and they behaved inappropriately. It can happen, the important thing is that they know how to take responsibility, move on and learn lessons for life. If betting and gambling is a disease, it can affect anyone and must be treated, and as such it should not be exploited.” (via Cagliari News24)
The saga came into light in early August when convicted felon Fabrizio Corona accused actors in the Italian football world of gambling and betting addiction. Nicolò Zaniolo, Stephan El-Sharaawy, and Nicola Zalewski have also been accused of betting infractions.
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