Catania demoted to third tier over match-fixing scandal

Catania have been demoted to the third tier of the Italian league over a match-fixing scandal in last season's Serie B, the Italian football federation (FIGC) said on Thursday.

The Sicilian side were also deducted 12 points this season and fined €150,000, the FIGC said, while club president Antonio Pulvirenti was banned for five years and fined 300,000 euros.

Catania finished 15th in Serie B last season, two points above the relegation places, after a run of five wins in a row in March and April.

The matches under investigation were the wins against Avellino, Varese, Trapani, Latina and Ternana and the draw against Livorno during that period, the FIGC said.

Pulvirenti and six others were arrested last month on suspicion of fixing matches.

Pulvirenti, who also owns dozens of supermarkets and an airline, was accused of sporting fraud and match-fixing. Police said at the time that the typical payoff to rival players to throw a match was €10,000.

Catania had been relegated from Serie A in 2013/14 after eight seasons in the top flight.