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Inter players in call-girl scandal

Frances Kennedy
Thursday 01 February 2001 01:00 GMT
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After 24 hours of flat denials and embarrassment, Internazionale yesterday unofficially admitted that four of its leading players had been caught up in a inquiry into a high society prostitution ring.

After 24 hours of flat denials and embarrassment, Internazionale yesterday unofficially admitted that four of its leading players had been caught up in a inquiry into a high society prostitution ring.

The Italian media reported that as many as 10 Inter players were involved in a deluxe prostitution racket where the girls are chosen via an internet site. Police stopped the players, whose names have not been released, after they had dined at one of Milan's trendiest nightspots and then retired to one of the players homes to carry on partying.

"They were silly to get themselves caught," said the Inter coach, Marco Tardelli, adding that it was a private dinner to which he had been invited. "I think there has been some superficiality here and I think if you are used to doing certain things, you should make sure you don't get caught."

Twelve hours earlier the club had issued a stern statement denying any involvement. "After thorough control of all players [the club] denies any involvement of its members in the Milan police probe," it read.

The inquiry started when police discovered that in a seeming harmless site - now closed down - there were 180 pages of top drawer girls on order, specialising in industrialists, professionals and sportsmen. They had been trailing five of the women for some time and intervened during their night with the Inter boys.

It is not the first time top Italian footballers, paid millions and treated like minor deities, have been caught up in sex scandals. In his prime, Napoli's Diego Maradona was never short of beautiful young women or lines of cocaine.

Two years ago, police arrested a young Brazilian prostitute, Lara, and in her notebook found phone numbers for several leading footballers, including Ronaldo.

The scandal does not seem to have perturbed the Inter fans who have been extremely critical of the sporting management of the club in recent months, prior to the arrival of Tardelli.

Another player not unused to making the headlines for the wrong reasons restarted his career in Spain yesterday.

The striker Stan Collymore signed for Oviedo, but he was left frustrated when his arrival by plane was delayed because of turbulence. He finally arrived later in the day by car, agreeing a one-and-a-half year contract with the Primera Division club.

The striker, who was met by 1,000 supporters, has agreed an 18-month contract after being granted a free transfer by Bradford. He passed a medical and will face the media today, which is Spain's transfer deadline day.

Oviedo's manager, Raddy Antic, is well aware of Collymore's chequered history but says he is unconcerned.

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