Emanuele Pesoli has sworn to continue his fight to clear his name despite seeing his lengthy suspension from football upheld by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Wednesday.
The Verona defender chained himself to the FIGC headquarters in Rome last week in protest against the three-year ban handed to him by the Federation's disciplinary commission for his alleged involvement in match-fixing during his time at Siena.
After going four days without food, Pesoli unchained himself and returned home on the promise of a one-to-one meeting with FIGC president Giancarlo Abete.
But his wish to confront his accusers, ex-Cremonese defender Carlo Gervasoni and former Siena midfielder Filippo Carobbio, was not granted by Abete, with the defender subsequently failing to have his ban overturned at the Federal Court of Justice.
He told calciomercato.com: "I tried in every way possible to make (the court) see sense. I am the victim of a grave injustice and I wanted to have the opportunity to talk to the people who accused me but it didn't happen.
"That's not fair. I didn't do anything wrong but they didn't give me the opportunity to defend myself and that's absurd."
Gervasoni was banned from football for five years for his role in the 'Calcioscommesse' scandal, with Carobbio receiving a 26-month ban.
"I find myself paying for something I didn't do. There's talk of phonecalls that I didn't even make. They have ruined my life, it's a nightmare and I hope I wake up soon," Pesoli added.
"I've got a lot to say to them but they've not been made accessible. They're only penitent now because they risked going to jail for fraud and it's easy for them to namedrop others, even implicating those who have nothing to do with it.
"I feel like I'm in a coma but I'm not quite dead yet, I have an unquenchable rage that will keep me fighting."
Pesoli's next opportunity to appeal comes in September when the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) will hear the cases of those who still wish to fight their sentences.
When asked if he would pursue a second appeal, the 31-year-old added: "Of course, there's no evidence in any of the paperwork to prove I committed an offence.
"My situation is clear: I'm either stuck with this unfair disqualifiction or I'll be acquitted, there's no middle ground.
"If they confirm the disqualification then I'm finished playing football. I'm lucky that Verona, who I play for, and even Siena, are backing me.
"I feel privileged because Verona are still giving me the opportunity to train, even though I'm not allowed to play, and that's something else that makes my blood boil."
Pesoli refused to rule out taking private legal action against his accusers.
He added: "If my lawyer, Giampiero Vellucci, supports the action, I will sue those two for slander and libel.
"I will spend all the money I have in the bank to make them feel as terrible as they've made me feel.
"I find myself in a dark tunnel and it will be difficult to get out, but I'm determined to get through this and prove that those cowards lied."
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