(ANSA) - Naples, July 8 - Marseille and former Italy striker
Mario Balotelli was cited with three others Monday for betting a
friend 2,000 euros to ride his motor scooter into the sea at
Naples.
The former Inter, Milan, Man City and Liverpool centre
forward, 28, was reported to Naples authorities for instigation
to commit a crime and illegal gambling for getting his friend,
Naples bar owner Catello Buonocore, to do the stunt.
Buonocore and two others were also cited.
Balotelli, who is not new to madcap stunts but appeared to
have put them behind him, reportedly tried to avert judicial
action by assuring police the scooter had been retrieved.
In recent years Balotelli has totted up thousands of euros in
speeding fines.
Earlier in his career he controversially visited a Naples
drug den and jokingly pretended to deal drugs there.
Balotelli has drawn significant media attention at times
for his off-field antics.
In late 2011, he hit headlines with the British media
reporting he had his new Maserati temporarily confiscated by
police.
That same season he had to spend a night in a hotel because
friends started a blaze with fireworks at his home.
He has also attracted attention for his anger about the
racist abuse regularly directed at him in Italian matches and
has threatened to walk off the pitch the next time this happens.
Perhaps the high point of his career were the brace of goals
he got against Germany to put Italy into the 2012 European
Championship final against Spain.
Italy boss Roberto Mancini, who put up with SuperMario's
temper tantrums at Man City, has said the door to an Azzurri
return is not definitively closed.
Balotelli cited for scooter into sea bet
Reported for instigating crime, illegal betting