ITALY RUGBY INTERNATIONAL Sami Panico has had his contract terminated by his club Zebre.
Gazzetta Dello Sport reported last Sunday that Panico was arrested for alleged “possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking” after 1.5kg of marijuana, 330 grams of hashish and €10,000 in cash were found in the garden of his Rome home.
According to the police, this sum of money discovered comes from illegal activities”. He was placed under house arrest pending further proceedings.
Panico, who has 10 caps for Italy, was suspended by Zebre on 8 September. Today, the Pro14 club have confirmed that “proceedings have been completed to terminate the contract.”
“This decision has been taken in keeping with the ethics and principles of the Franchise and the contractual arrangements, and of the Federation from which it depends, and follows the suspension of the player from the Zebre Rugby Club team notified on 8 September 2018,” a statement from Zebre read.
“The player had arrived in an unsuitable physical condition for the pre-season training, and was subsequently unreachable and had ignored all formal reprimands from the Team, thus initiating formal proceedings for the final termination of the contract.
“Zebre Rugby Club, certain of interpreting the feelings of the Federation and clubs that have contributed to the growth of the player, wishes to express its disappointment at the events that have unfolded while being quite certain that everything has been done so that rugby could be an opportunity for Mr Panico to demonstrate personal and professional growth, allowing him to make full use of his talents.
“The club also wishes to confirm its commitment to all its registered players, both on and off the field, and will continue to support the players as people, not only as athletes, in view of their full and unconditional acceptance of the institutional and ethical values which are intrinsic in sport, and in particular rugby.”
Panico has a chequered history and was dropped from the Zebre team a year ago after he broke a team-mate’s jaw in a training ground bust-up.
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