Arezzo's match-fixing penalty upheld by civil court

ROME, June 13 (Reuters) Italian Serie B side Arezzo failed in their bid to escape relegation to the third division today after a civil court upheld the penalty handed down to them in last year's match-fixing scandal.

Last August, a sports court ordered the Tuscan club to start the 2006-07 season on minus six points after they were found guilty of seeking favours from referees.

They finished the season inside the Serie B relegation zone, three points from safety.

Wednesday's decision by a regional court in Lazio effectively ended their hopes of avoiding the drop.

Several other clubs, including Serie A giants Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio, were also punished in last year's scandal, but Arezzo were the only ones to take their appeal to the civil courts.

REUTERS BJR ND1504