Buffon cleared of illegal gambling

2007-01-03 16:23:10

Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon has been cleared of illegal gambling by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), it has been revealed.

Buffon, who won the World Cup with Italy in the summer, had been accused of illegal betting on Juventus games during 2004 and 2005.

But the case was archived after a review of the evidence, with three other Juventus players also being found innocent.

"I knew that I had done nothing wrong and I am very happy," Buffon said, according to his lawyer Silvano Martina.

"My betting was a private matter and not in any way illegal. Some spend a fortune on special edition cars, I made the odd bet online," the goalkeeper added in a separate interview.

Online gambling continues to be highly popular among footballers, with players' huge salaries often meaning that vast sums of money are wagered. Last year it was revealed that over four million Britons now play online, with that figure expected to rise by 22 per cent during 2007.


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