Napoli president Giorgio Corbelli has accused Parma and Verona of contriving the result of an Italian first division match, won 2-1 by Verona at the weekend, the Italian press reported today.
Verona's victory increases their chance of avoiding relegation, with Napoli one of several clubs also fighting to avoid the drop.
Corbelli has said both Parma and Verona are closely linked. Indeed, Parma president Stefano Tanzi chose not to deny it when asked by Corbelli on a TV show whether his family did indirectly own Verona.
Now Italian Football Federation chiefs have reacted to Corbelli's accusations by probing the exact nature of the ties between the clubs.
The Napoli president has been referred to the disciplinary committee for his outburst.
Verona president Giambattista Pastorello allegedly has strong links with the Tanzi family that runs Parma, although the exact nature of the relations between the clubs is not clear.
Corbelli believes the links between the clubs represent a conflict of interest and could also infringe football rules.
AFP