Juventus' Conte criticizes Italian federation for ban

Juventus coach Antonio Conte says he is being made a scapegoat in the Italian match-fixing scandal.

Conte's appeal against his 10-month ban for his role in the scandal was rejected Wednesday by the Italian football federation.

In a specially called news conference on Thursday, Conte says "I am the object of slanderous accusations, to make me out to be the public face of a football betting scandal."

The federation's disciplinary committee confirmed the guilty finding for failing to report match-fixing in Albinoleffe's match against Siena during the 2010-11 season, when Conte was coach of then-Serie B team Siena. It threw out the guilty finding in a second game that season - against Novara - but maintained the 10-month sentence.