Italy: Giuseppe Signori held in football fixing probe Published duration 1 June 2011

image caption Giuseppe Signori, 43, who was one of Italy's leading strikers, leaves a police station in Bologna

Former Italy footballer Giuseppe Signori and 15 other people have been arrested by Italian police for alleged match-fixing.

The others held are said to include ex-Serie A players, current players from both Serie B and Serie C, club directors from lower leagues and betting shop employees.

They are accused of organising the rigging of matches to fix bets.

Eighteen matches are under investigation.

They include this season's Serie A clash between Inter Milan and Lecce, and matches involving Siena and Atalanta, who both earned promotion to Serie A.

Police in towns and cities across Italy including Rome, Turin, Naples, Bologna, Ancona, Cremona and Ferrara issued detention orders for the 16 people.

Signori, 43, who is being held under house arrest, was one of Italy's leading strikers in the 1990s. He was top scorer in Serie A three times with Rome club Lazio.