Atalanta, Cristiano Doni punished

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ROME -- Atalanta will start the Serie A season with a six-point penalty for its role in the latest Italian match-fixing scandal, while its captain Cristiano Doni has been banned for 3½ years.

The Italian soccer federation's disciplinary committee issued the verdicts Tuesday after a lengthy investigation.

Retired player Giuseppe Signori, a former Lazio captain and Italy forward, was banned from soccer activities for five years. Benevento goalkeeper Marco Paoloni, who allegedly drugged his teammates when he was with Cremonese last season, was also banned for five years.

Among lower-division teams, Benevento received a nine-point penalty, Ascoli was docked six points and Piacenza received a four-point penalty.

In Serie B, Ascoli was penalized six points and fined $70,000 and Verona and Sassuolo were each fined $28,500.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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