Parma Hit With 5-Point Serie A Deduction Over Match Fixing as Emanuele Calaio Is Banned for 2 Years

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has slapped Parma with a five-point deduction ahead of the start of the 2018/19 Serie A campaign following 'suspicious messages' relating to alleged match fixing prior to a Sere B game between Parma and Spezia last season.

Parma striker Emanuele Calaio has also been banned for two years and fined €20,000 for his part, with the 2-0 win helping the club secure promotion back to the top flight.

Parma, who were declared bankrupt in 2015 and reformed in Serie D, finished second in Serie B as a result of the victory and automatically returned to Serie A after three years away.

It was the third successive promotion that they have had since hitting financial oblivion, but the club will now begin the new season on -5 points and will be playing catch up from the start.

36 year-old Calaio, who has spent much of his career yo-yoing between Serie A, Serie B and occasionally lower, joined Parma in the third tier in 2016 and his 30 league goals, including those in promotion playoffs, have been crucial in restoring the club to Serie A.

Emilio Andreoli/GettyImages

However, once a Spezia player himself, Calaio is believed to have contacted former teammate Filippo de Col prior to the game before the key game in question, with the messages deemed to be a deliberate attempt to affect De Col's performance and therefore the outcome.

It remains to be seen whether Calaio, who will be 38 years of age by the time his suspension is over in 2020, will resume his professional career.