Antonio Conte faces ban
ROME -- Juventus coach Antonio Conte is facing a 15-month ban after being denied a plea bargain for his involvement in an Italian match-fixing scandal.
Conte's offer of a three-month ban was rejected by an Italian soccer federation (FIGC) tribunal Wednesday, and he was told Thursday that the court will not accept any plea bargain.
Conte, who led Juventus to the Serie A title last season, is accused of failing to report match-fixing in two games during the 2010-11 season when he was coach of then-Serie B team Siena.
Siena goalkeeping coach Marco Savaroni and fitness coach Giorgio D'Urbano will serve 23-week bans.
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli said in a statement that "The various sentences show enormous contradictions...this can't be accepted."
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
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