FLORENCE- Investigations are being carried out in Tuscany into the illegal immigration of child footballers from Africa and match-fixing, according to Prato police authorities.

The Prato state police have served four preliminary injunctions and conducted many searches in conjunction with charges of illegal immigration, false documentation and aiding and abetting within the world of football. Over the course of the investigation, accusations of sporting fraud and match fixing have also emerged. Those being investigated are thought to have breached immigration laws by facilitating the illegal entry of immigrants from African states into Italy, in particular young boys from the Ivory Coast, presenting them to the Italian Embassy in Abidjan and then to the Immigration Office at Prato Questura with false documentation. The falsified information concerning familial descent served to allow for the request and the issuance of entry visas and residence permits for family reunification.  

The investigations led the State Police of Prato to the conclusion that the end goal of the illegal immigration of African citizens was to get the young boys to play for Italian or European football teams. This is a violation with FIFA regulations which require official sign-ups, as well as breaching Italian state law. Over the course of the investigation, match fixing has also come to light. The Flying Squad of the State Police have gathered confirmation of this regarding the fixing of 11 teams in the Lega Pro, Categoria Eccellenza Toscana, Campionato Regionale Toscano di Promozione.

Preliminary injunctions have been served to chairmen at two Prato and Sestese football teams, a sports agent and a woman from the Ivory Coast. In addition to this, 12 searches have been carried out involving referees, chairmen, secretaries and sports directors of football associations. A further 11 people have been given notice of the investigation for match fixing, most of whom are young amateur footballers. Two serie A teams and one from serie B have received document acquisition orders from police.

The Prato Police are collaborating with police in Florence, Rimini, Pistoia, Siena, Pisa, Perugia and Arezzo on this matter.

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