Juventus coach Antonio Conte appeals match-fixing suspension

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Suspended Juventus coach Antonio Conte arrived on Monday at the Rome Football Federation Court. Conte, making his first appearance before the court in the appeal process surrounding his 10-month suspension for his alleged role in a match-fixing scandal.

The Juventus coach appeared tense and upset, and did not make any comment upon entering the court. Conte, who led the Old Lady to the Serie A title last season, was punished for failing to report match-fixing in two games during the 2010-11 season when he was coach of then-Serie B side Siena.

Siena player Emanuele Pesoli also arrived at court on Monday. Pesoli had chained himself to the gate of the Italian Football Federation’s headquarters in Rome and undergone a hunger strike to protest against the court’s decision to give him a three-year suspension for his alleged role in the match-fixing scandal. He is also expected to appeal.

Juventus released a statement immediately after the verdicts were announced, saying it had already begun preparing appeals for Conte and his assistant Angelo Alessio, who was handed an eight month ban. It is believed that a verdict on Conte could be delivered before the end of the week.