Crisis-hit Italian FA placed under national Olympic committee’s control

ROME – The crisis-hit Italian Football Federation (FIGC) was placed under the guardianship of Italy’s Olympic Committee (CONI) on Oct 6, but with the newly-elected football chief Giovanni Malago remaining at its helm.

Under the terms of a compromise reached with CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio and approved by the Olympic body’s executive committee, Malago remains acting head of Italian football but with an interim title of FIGC Extraordinary Commissioner.

The FIGC must also hold new elections by Jan 31, 2027, CONI said in a brief statement.

Malago took over in June 2026 after Gabriele Gravina resigned, following Italy’s loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the European play-off final for the 2026 World Cup.

But his election, secured with 68.6% of the vote, was challenged by a lawyer who found that he did not hold a valid FIGC membership card at the time of his candidacy.

Both the FIGC and CONI launched proceedings but reached different conclusions, with the Olympic body initially deeming that Malago’s election should be invalidated.

The compromise on Oct 6 allows the rebuilding of Italian football to continue after the four-time winners’ failure to qualify for the last three World Cups.

Malago, 67, has been a key figure in Italian sports for more than 20 years and is a former CONI president who spearheaded this year’s Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. AFP