ROME: Italian third division soccer club Crotone has been placed under judicial administration for a year after police found “sufficient evidence” of pervasive Mafia infiltration, prosecutors said on Tuesday.
Crotone, based in the southern Calabria region that is home to the powerful ‘Ndrangheta Mafia, sit seventh in Group C of the Serie C league on five points from four games.
Crotone played in the top-flight Serie A for two consecutive seasons between 2016 and 2018 and again in 2020-2021.
Tuesday’s decision means the club will continue its sporting activities but under the supervision of court-appointed administrators. The club itself is not under investigation.
“FC Crotone will actively collaborate with the judicial administrators appointed by the court to continue its activities in the best interests of the club, fans and sport in general,” it said in a statement.
Crotone said the court decision “does not even remotely suggest complicity or connivance by the club, its shareholders, or its managers and collaborators.”
The prosecutors’ office of the city of Catanzaro said in a statement that Crotone had been “subjected, over the last decade, directly or at least indirectly, to conditions of intimidation and subjugation by members of local ‘Ndrangheta clans.”
The local mob had, in particular, infiltrated the club’s security and ticketing operations, and the judicial administration regime is expected to help steer its economic activities back onto a legal path, prosecutors said.
Mafia infiltration of Italian soccer, including the lucrative merchandising and ticketing businesses, is a well-known phenomenon, with recent investigations targeting hard-line ‘ultra’ fan groups at top clubs Inter and AC Milan.
Italian third-tier club Crotone under court control for Mafia infiltration
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Italian third-tier club Crotone under court control for Mafia infiltration
- Tuesday’s decision means the club will continue its sporting activities but under the supervision of court-appointed administrators
- The club itself is not under investigation
68 drivers get underway in first stage of Jeddah Baja Toyota rally
- Opening day covers a total distance of 395 km, including 206 km of timed special stage sections
- Concluding stage will take place on Saturday over a distance of 301 km, including a 91 km timed special stage
JEDDAH: Sixty-eight drivers and navigators from more than 17 countries competed in the opening stage of the Jeddah Baja Toyota rally on Friday.
The first stage covered 395 kilometers, including 206 kilometers of timed special stage sections.
In the Ultimate B category, Yazeed Al-Rajhi and co-driver Timo Gottschalk topped the rankings in a time of 1 hour 48 minutes, 6 seconds, followed by Dania Akeel with 02:01:36 and Miroslav Zapletal on 02:02:28.
In the Ultimate category, Faris Almoshana led the field with a time of 02:21:22, ahead of Abdulaziz Alyaeesh (03:10:19) and Hussein Al-Lapid (03:37:39).
In the Stock category, Sufian Alomer took first place with a time of 02:27:18, with Khalaf Al-Shammari in second (02:48:11) and Majed Althunayyan third (03:18:40).
In the Challenger category, the top three were Hamad Al-Harbi (02:19:52), Saleh Alsaif (02:20:59) and Abdullah Alfahhad (02:29:14).
Top spot in the Side-by-Side category went to Hamza Bakhashab (02:02:42), followed by Maha Al-Hamali (02:11:34) and Mansour Al-Helei (02:12:42).
Teruhito Sugawara of Japan crossed the line first the Trucks category in a time of 02:20:52.
In the Motorbikes category, Abdul Halim Al-Mughirah was fastest with a time of 02:47:39, followed by Thomas Blackburn (02:50:15) and Abdulla Lanjawi (02:59:58).
In the Quads category, Hani Alnoumesi (02:52:03) led the way, ahead of Abdularahman Alabdullatif (03:53:31) and Merehin Albaz (05:01:11).
The second and final stage of the Jeddah Baja Toyota will take place on Saturday over a distance of 301 kilometers, including a 91 kilometer timed special stage.
The event is organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sport and Jeddah Governorate, with support from official partners Jameel Motorsport and the Saudi Motorsport Marshals Club.
