CONI Attacks Proposed Sport Reforms

(ATR) The Italian Olympic Committee president is pulling no punches in his criticism of proposed reforms to Italian sport by the country’s government.

"This is not the reform of Italian sport… this is an elegant way of [achieving] the occupation of the Italian Olympic Committee," said Giovanni Malagó, speaking to members of CONI’s national council in Rome on Thursday.

Malagó, as quoted by La Repubblica, added "Fascism itself, although not extremely flexible in allowing everyone to express their opinions, had respected what had been the history of CONI since its foundation".

Despite the harsh rhetoric, Around the Rings is told that a final decision on sport reform in Italy is far from being finalized.

Under the current proposal, a separate, government-controlled body "Sport e Salute" (Sport and Health) would be created to take over the distribution of funds to the various Italian sport federations from CONI. CONI would only be responsible for Olympic preparation.

Should the reforms be implemented it would mean CONI’s budget would drop from about $400 million annually to about $40 million. Malagó said that would turn CONI from "the most prestigious Olympic Committee in the world to the worst".

Cabinet Secretary Giancarlo Giorgetti, who is the de facto sports minister, and Parliament Undersecretary Simone Valente expressed surprise at Malagó’s comments in a statement, saying "[he] knows that the autonomy of sport is not in question. We are following a model of excellence already in force in many countries of Europe and the world".

"Many are supporting the reform and encouraging us to keep going and we’ll do so with piece of mind."

Around the Ringsis told by Italian experts that the new government, which is made up of non-traditional parties, is against CONI and Malagó, who had close ties to the previous party in power.

The CONI national council on Thursday gaveMalagó approval to continue talks with the government on the planned reforms.

A CONI spokesperson tells Around the Rings that the discussion between the two sides could run until the end of the year. Should a decision on a draft legislation be reached at that point, the reforms would likely undergo more adjustments as they are debated in the Parliament.

Any changes to CONI's responsibilities would not take effect until 2020. ATR is told the CONI executive board will be meeting next week to allocate the funding for 2019 for the Italian sports federations.

Should the discussions end with CONI’s budget being gutted,Malagó told the national council that he would resign as its president.

"I was elected to be president of another CONI. This CONI (according to the new law) I cannot accept," he said to a round of applause, according to La Repubblica.

ShouldMalagó quit, it would not affect his standing as an IOC member. He was elected earlier this year as an individual member, so his position is not tied to remaining the head of the Italian Olympic Committee.

Written by Gerard Farek

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