By Mark Baber
August 12 – Carlo Tavecchio has been elected as the new president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) despite having caused controversy with racist remarks during his election campaign and having spent 18 months in prison for offences including forgery, tax evasion, falsification of records and abuse of office.
The election went to three rounds as Tavecchio could not overcome the 75% and 66% hurdles in the voting which saw him pitted against former AC Milan player Demetrio Albertini. However he managed to secure 63.63% in the third round of polling, compared to Albertini’s 33.95%, from an electoral college comprising 278 representatives from Serie A, Serie B, the Lega Pro, the Amateur League, the Players’ Association, the Coaches’ Association and the Referees’ Association.
Tavecchio lost any chance of winning the support of a number of clubs including Fiorentina, Sassuolo, Sampdoria and Cesena when he told a meeting of Italy’s amateur leagues: “In England, they identify the players coming in and, if they are professional, they are allowed to play. Here instead we get some Opti Poba, who previously ate bananas and then suddenly becomes a first-team player with Lazio. That’s how it is here. In England, you need to demonstrate what you have on your CV and your pedigree.”
Immediately after his speech, the 71 year old Tavecchio said he couldn’t remember what he had said.
After winning this vote the new FIGC boss reached out to those who have been dismayed at his election, saying: “I will be a president for everybody, and especially for those who have legitimately expressed their dissent about me taking the job.”
With Italy facing well-publicised problems with racism in stadiums, the election of Tavecchio is being widely seen as a setback for the FIGC and for the image of Italian football.
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