The appointment of Diana Bianchedi as the new head of delegation for Italy under Mancini has generated tensions in Italian football. Giovanni Malagò called his right-hand woman for the Milano Cortina Games, an Olympic fencing champion and deputy vice president of Coni, triggering a rift linked to a possible conflict of interest.
According to Repubblica, the president of Coni Luciano Buonfiglio only learned of the appointment on Saturday evening, through a phone call from Malagò, just before reading the preview in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport. Bianchedi communicated the news directly to Buonfiglio only on Sunday morning, creating a problem of timing and form that undermined the relationship of trust.
The football components also did not appreciate the move. Lega Serie A expressed surprise, while several clubs, including Inter and Juventus, did not appreciate either the choice itself — Bianchedi boasts a very high profile but has no experience in football — or Malagò’s modus operandi.
Malagò, for his part, remains calm and continues on his path. The Figc responded with a statement to Ansa, clarifying that there is neither a state law nor a statute that provides for incompatibility between the role of Coni board member and a federal appointment, and that any conflict of interest would be resolved by abstaining from board decisions on football, as already happens for presidents of other federations when necessary.
The Figc’s conclusion, which defines the appointment as “purely representative,” contrasts with what Malagò said, who spoke of a “cultural revolution in football.” The affair comes after the Pirlo case, followed by the resignations of Maldini and Leonardo, fueling further friction between Figc and Coni.
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