The mayor of Bari, Antonio Decaro, expressed concern regarding the investigation by the FIGC prosecutor’s office into the expulsion of Nicola Bellomo during the return match of the Serie B playout between Ternana and Bari. In an interview with “Un giorno da pecora ”, Decaro underlined his fear that the affair could recall the painful football betting scandal that has already affected the city in the past.
“I hope it’s not true,” Decaro declared, “we have already experienced the shame of football betting in our city, with the Bari captain scoring an own goal during the derby against Lecce, an episode that turned out to be part of a betting scandal.”
The current investigation concerns suspicious bets made a few hours before the match in a Bari betting shop. Several players had bet on Bellomo’s expulsion, an event that paid 24 times the stake. Bellomo, who was on the bench, was sent off following an argument with a ball boy.
Decaro expressed hope that the investigation will not affect the team’s ranking: “I hope it doesn’t have anything to do with the team’s ranking, which has already managed to save itself by a miracle.”
The mayor concluded by recalling the pain felt by Bari fans during the previous scandal and hoping that the current situation does not lead the city back into a similar spiral of disillusionment and discouragement.
