Italian officials look into fixed scores

Italian authorities launched a major anti-corruption purge Friday amid fears the mafia has fixed scores of professional soccer games.

Prosecutors suspect mob bosses from the notorious Naples-based Camorra clan have rigged around 150 matches, ANSA reported.

They range from lower league contests to high-profile games from the country's prestigious, top division, Serie A.

Eight people have been arrested so far in connection with the probe, triggered by irregular betting patterns, the news agency said.

The swoops heap further shame on Italian soccer, which has been dogged by allegations of corruption in recent years.

Promoted Atalanta started the Serie A season with a six-point penalty for its involvement in a separate betting scandal.

And Juventus, one of Italy's most celebrated clubs, was stripped of its 2005 and 2006 league titles and demoted for its part in a damaging rigging scam that centered on collusion between team officials and referees.