The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) could be placed under interim administration only after two separate votes within the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The CONI Executive Committee will consider the takeover proposal at its regular meeting on Tuesday. If it approves the measure, the decision will then be referred to the CONI National Committee, which will hold a special meeting at 2 PM and has the authority to reject it.
Should the Executive Committee vote against the proposal, no further decision will be required. But approval by that body would not automatically bring the FIGC under interim administration: the National Committee’s vote would be the second and final stage in the process.
The dispute centres on Giovanni Malago’s eligibility to stand for the FIGC presidency. The two CONI bodies have different roles and memberships. The Executive Committee is the administrative authority of Italy’s sporting system, while the National Committee performs a broader, “parliamentary” role involving policy direction, planning and supervision.
As many as 77 members are expected to be eligible to vote in the National Committee. They include Federica Pellegrini, the Italian member of the International Olympic Committee, CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio and the presidents of 45 national sports federations.
Federations currently under interim administration – including weightlifting, cricket and shooting – will not take part. The FIGC is also excluded because Malago is directly involved in the issue.
The voting status of the Italian Swimming Federation remains disputed. CONI’s position is that the federation lost its voting rights after Paolo Barelli became Undersecretary of State and Pieri took over its interim leadership. Barelli, however, maintains that the federation should still be allowed to vote.
The National Committee also includes 10 athlete representatives, five representatives of coaches, three members from related sports organisations, five representatives from sports promotion agencies, one representative of honorary associations and six members from CONI’s regional offices.
Because the make-up of the National Committee differs from that of the Executive Committee, the second vote could determine the outcome. La Gazzetta dello Sport says the National Committee could block the takeover even if it has first been endorsed by the Executive Committee.
The two bodies usually reach the same decision, making such a split uncommon. However, the report says the unprecedented circumstances mean that a disagreement cannot be ruled out.
Malago was CONI president for 12 years and knows many members of the National Committee. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he believes he can represent the FIGC’s position at the meeting and win substantial support.
The future of the FIGC could therefore be decided in two stages on Tuesday: an initial vote by the CONI Executive Committee, followed, if necessary, by a final decision from the National Committee.