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December 25, 2011

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Italian whistle blower rewarded for honesty

ITALY coach Cesare Prandelli is planning to reward the Italian match-fixing whistle blower by letting the little-known Gubbio defender train with the national team.

"It's a way to thank him and underline what he represents," Prandelli told Italian daily La Repubblica on Friday. "He didn't just show courage, he also showed extraordinary inner strength."

Last month, Simone Farina was approached and offered 200,000 euros (US$260,000) to influence the outcome of an Italian Cup match between Cesena and Gubbio on November 30. The player refused and reported the incident to the police. Seventeen people across Italy were arrested on Monday.

"Gestures like that don't come easy in the lower divisions," Prandelli said. "Now it's up to us not to abandon him."

Farina will likely train with Italy ahead of a planned friendly against the United States on February 29.

"From a technical standpoint it can't be a real call-up, but it's the message that counts," Prandelli added.



 

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