Wiretaps, phone calls and gifts to the referees, and so far no news. The difference is that this time we are not talking about football, but about basketball. We are always in Italy, mind you, never be that someone else tries to steal the scepter of sporting scandals from us.
Precisely, to be under the magnifying glass is the top Italian basketball league and more particularly the queen of this championship, Siena, which for years has dominated the parquet floors throughout Italy almost without rivals.
In these hot summer days, despite the economic and social crisis that is afflicting the country, news from the federal prosecutors of sports federations dominates the front pages of the newspapers. In addition to the referrals for football betting that are taking shape these days, there is a new burning investigation that has already taken the name of Baskettopoli.
It all started with the declarations of Olimpia Milano regarding the intention of presenting a complaint to the Federal Prosecutor's Office against Monte Paschi Siena. The leaders of the Lombard training are in possession of interceptions, also circulated in the press, which should "frame" Siena and its president Minucci.
The material contained in the aforementioned recordings concerns two telephone calls dating back to June 2008, in particular on the 6th and 7th of the month, crucial days preceding match 3 of the final for the Scudetto between Rome and Siena, which will be played in the capital. Around one in the morning, the president of Siena Minucci telephoned the then president of the Italian Referees Committee, Giovanni Garibotti. From excerpts published in the newspapers, it seems that the Sienese manager wanted to be reassured about the conduct of the referees, immediately reassured by Garibotti who, laughing, made him understand not to worry.
Siena defends itself by specifying that the phone call was made only to clarify an episode of the previous match, the president of Virtus Roma Toti, would have entered the locker room to speak with the referees after the match without the presence of a manager of the opposing team, as expected by regulation.
Even more disturbing suspicions should be added to this material, there is talk of holidays paid by the Sienese club to designators and match directors in exchange for aiding and abetting. This and other details, which will perhaps be clarified in court, have emerged from the wiretapping of telephone calls between CIA commissioners and instructors.
To date, no complaint has yet reached the offices of the Federal Prosecutor, so we will have to wait a little longer to see clearly in this intricate affair. It is true that if the allegations circulating prove to be reliable, the image of the Tuscan company would suffer enormously. If the club that has been the star of the league in recent years were overwhelmed by this scandal, it would be a huge blow to all of Italian basketball.
