October 8 – Giovanni Malago has been ousted as president-elect of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and immediately relinquished control as extraordinary commissioner, in an unusual attempt to resolve the governance problem surrounding his election in June.
The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) voted unanimously on 6 October to place the FIGC under extraordinary administration, and its National Council subsequently ratified the decision. Málago did not participate in the vote on his own appointment.
The intervention stems from a technical problem with Málago’s eligibility rather than a criminal complaint.
When the former CONI president was elected to succeed Gabriele Gravina on June 22, he was not formally registered as a member of the FIGC. This raised questions about whether his candidacy complied with the federation’s rules and eventually prompted CONI to seek legal advice.
Málago had won comfortably in the first ballot, with 68.58% of the vote against former FIGC president Giancarlo Abete’s 29.17%.
The CONI solution effectively eliminates the contested mandate without removing Malagò from the management of Italian football. As commissioner he will oversee the federation, keep its administration running and organize new presidential elections.
This vote will take place on December 14, well before CONI’s January 31st deadline. Málago has already indicated that he is ready to plant again.
The sequence is remarkable even by Italian football standards: Málago’s election has been undone due to an eligibility issue, only for him to remain in charge while that issue is rectified ahead of another election he intends to contest.
The president of the CONI, Luciano Buonfiglio, has presented the measure as a way to solve an institutional malfunction without Málago personally taking responsibility for the consequences. Palazzo Chigi also denied suggestions of political interference on Wednesday, saying Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had played no role and that CONI acted with “complete autonomy”.
Italy have now missed out on three straight men’s World Cups, while the FIGC is also struggling with Serie A’s financial woes, an aging stadium and preparations to co-host EURO 2032 with Turkey.
Malaga now has just over two months to stabilize the federation he was elected to lead in June and potentially persuade Italian football to re-elect him.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at (email protected)
