Italy's soccer league postponed the starts of Serie A and Serie B seasons to the weekend of September 9-10instead of August 28 because of the fallout from the Serie A match-fixing scandal, a Soccer League spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Soccer League, which oversees Serie A and Serie B, postponed the start date to "allow sports justice to reach its conclusion," spokesman Manuele Tigani said.

Serie A games will kick off on September 10, while Serie B begins September 9.

Also pushed back was the Italian Supercup between Inter Milan and Roma, which will take place on August 26 instead of August 19.

Juventus was stripped of its last two Serie A titles and relegated to the second division last month. The club has appealed its punishment earlier Tuesday to the Italian Olympic Committee's arbitration court.

Fiorentina and Lazio, two other clubs sanctioned in the scandal, are also expected to appeal their punishments, including a ban from European club competition for this season.

The Olympic committee said a ruling would be issued by August 25.

(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2006)