Fantoni-Nunes

Fantoni-Nunes Bridge Scandal

Fantoni, bridge player accused of cheating

Fulvio Fantoni

Nunes bridge player accused of cheating

Claudio Nunes

Taken from wikipedia

Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes are professional bridge players originally from Italy, but since 2011 playing for Monaco. In 2015, they were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the world respectively.

In September 2015, they were publicly accused of cheating by orienting a played card to show a missing high honour (ace, king or queen) in the led suit at the European Bridge Championship in 2014. Three separate investigations were conducted, one by the Italian Bridge Federation (FIGB), one by the European Bridge League (EBL) and one by the American Contract Bridge League {ACBL).

On March 19, 2016, the FIGB banned the pair for three years. The FIGB hearing also investigated cheating by Fantoni and Nunes against Italy in the finals of the Bermuda Bowl in 2013 using the same method. Fantoni and Nunes appealed this ruling to both the FIGB and the Italian Olympic Committee; the appeals were rejected. On July 2018 FIGB revoked the judgment.

On July 18, 2016, the European Bridge League (EBL) banned each from play for five years.

On July 26, 2016, the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) expelled them from their league and stripped them of all related masterpoints, titles, ranks and privileges.

The players' appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the EBL ban resulted in a judgement in their favour in January 2018.[4] Only the ACBL sanction remaines in force,[5] and the EBL publicly stated that they were still barred from all EBL events at least until April 2019.[6] However the Federal Appeal Tribunal of the FIGB subsequently lifted the players' suspension from FIGB events.

Taken from wikipedia

Previous allegations for Fantoni-Nunes pair

Blackout hand

This hand is played in Italian Open Teams Championshio in 2015 at Salsomaggiore, Italy from April 30 to May 3rd. You can see BBO record from here.

What happened?

Opponents reached 6♥️ and Nunes led his Ace of diamonds. After that instead of normal play of Ace of clubs he continued diamonds for his partner to ruff for 3 down. This abnormal play raises so doubts about Unauthorized Information between Nunes and Fantoni. 

Prosecution:

Fantoni Fulvio and Claudio Nunes are accused of abnormal play that raises the doubt of Unauthorized Information (UI) between players. 

Defence:

Nunes claims to have had a mental blackout and as a consequense he was incapable of thinking properly. He played mechanically and continued with a ♦️ without thinking because he was convinced declarer had a ♣️ void.

Verdict:

We do not have any proof that UI was received by either player so we acquit FIGB members Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes.