ROME - Amid calls that he resign less than three weeks before the World Cup, Italy's national coach received the full support Monday from the top official of the country's soccer federation.

Italian coach Marcello Lippi gestures during a news conference at the Italian soccer team training center in Coverciano, near Florence, Italy, Monday, May 22, 2006. Lippi received full supportMonday from the Italian soccer federation's top official amid calls that he resign - less than three weeks before the World Cup - in the nation's wide-ranging soccer scandal.[AP]

Marcello Lippi met with federation commissioner Guido Rossi in the Tuscan town of Coverciano, where the Italian team is training for the World Cup, which begins June 9 in Germany. Italian Olympic Committee president Gianni Petrucci also attended the meeting.

"We have explicitly expressed our full and total confidence in the team and in Marcello Lippi," said Rossi, who was appointed last week to clean up the wide-ranging scandal shaking Italian soccer.

Lippi has been in the spotlight since his name emerged in the scandal. The 58-year-old former Juventus coach resisted calls not to call up Gianluigi Buffon, the Juventus and Italy goalkeeper who is involved in the illegal-betting probe. Buffon has denied wrongdoing and is part of the Italy squad.

The scandal weighs heavily on Italy, a three-time World Cup champion that goes into the tournament as one of the favorites. Three other Serie A teams have been implicated in the scandals ¡ª AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio ¡ª in different investigations.

Rossi expressed hope that "a first signal of renewal and cleansing from the evil that has got through Italian soccer can start with this team led by Lippi."

In comments reported by the ANSA news agency, Rossi said he never had any doubts over Lippi's position and that "it would have been folly to point to Lippi as being guilty, without striking at the real culprits in this situation."

Lippi was questioned Friday for more than three hours by prosecutors investigating game-fixing, illegal betting and manipulation of referee assignments.

He is not under investigation, but prosecutors are trying to establish whether he was pressured or influenced by the official at the center of the scandal ¡ª former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi ¡ª to select certain players for the national team.

Lippi's son, Davide Lippi, works for GEA World, a player agency that is also being investigated. The agency is run by Moggi's son, Alessandro Moggi.

Lippi has ruled out stepping down, but many have called for his resignation over the past days, claiming the move would help restore credibility and calm to the Italian team.

"They had it in for me," Lippi said Monday. "I have been asked from many parties to clarify (my position), but I have already done that. I've never had an agent, I have never been assisted by my son, I have nothing to do with GEA."

The coach also received the backing of Italy striker Luca Toni.

"Lippi enjoys the trust of us all," he said. "It is only fair that he should lead us in Germany."