«An intervention is necessary simplification and consequent renewal (underlined writing, ed.) of thecurrent governance structure which is showing some critical issues, which if not resolved in a very short time could represent a prejudicial factor for the implementation of preparatory actions to respect the Olympic Milestones”. It’s from the first one August 2022the letter from Veniceae addressed to the Prime Minister Mario Dragons it is signed primarily by president of Veneto Luca Zaiaand then by the president of Lombardy Attilio Fountain, by the presidents of the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano and by the mayors of Milan and Cortina of Ampezzo. At the time the CEO was Vincenzo Novari, whose management he did not like to the local authorities that make up the Foundation’s board. Some time after Novari was replaced. The critical issues reported concerned thelack of transparency on tenders and sponsorships.
Milan investigates
Two years later, the prosecutor’s office of Milan has registered him on the register of suspects for suspected corruption in the context of an IT management contract, and now the investigations seem to be widening. The Milan Prosecutor’s Office has in fact opened a new file for abuse of office and disturbancecurrently without suspects, on the chapter of employee hiring, also to verify contracts of people linked to the world of politics or sport or to the top or former top management of the organization, on the one hand, and on other contract assignments, on the other . In addition to the former CEO, the former technical director of the Foundation is also in trouble Massimiliano Zuco e the entrepreneur from Vetrya (later merged into Quibyt) Luca Tomassini winner of a 1.9 million euro tender for the management of the Foundation’s digital services.
The trigger of the investigation
The investigation was born in Milan by pm who were already investigating Tomassini and the horoscope and paid game apps managed by his company, among the WhatsApps viewed by the investigators there were some in which Tomassini boasted of being on close terms with Novari. «And let’s go, 5 billion budget… just heard», the digital entrepreneur thus celebrated, on 9 December 2019, the appointment of Vincenzo Novari as CEO of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation. From the investigations of the economic-financial police unit of the Milanese GdF it would appear that Tomassini from that day «work in the technological field on the topic of the Olympics” even though “the Foundation had not yet been established”. The choice of the event logo is also under the lens sportsman subjected to a poll in Sanremo in which the one designed by Vetrya emerged as the winner. Finance is also examining a contract for the “provision of technological and cyber security services” for approximately 176 million dollars, paid to Deloitte USA by Fondazione Milano-Cortina 2026, which also finds itself paying 74 million euros for digital consultancy, from 2022 to 2023, again at Deloitte. The same company that, instead, contributed 7 million as sponsor of the Olympic event.
The reactions in Veneto
The investigation has obviously also shaken the Veneto. The regional secretary of the Democratic Party Andrea Hammer, together with other senators, asked that ministers Matteo Salvini (Infrastructure) and Andrea Abodi (Sport and youth) report to the Environment Committee. «Minister Abodi says that the foundation it’s a glass house: evidently not so transparent if no one has noticed everything the Milan Prosecutor’s Office is investigating. Now the International Olympic Committee must intervene” says Luana Zanella, group leader of the Greens and Left Alliance in the Chamber. «The Democratic Party with the Lombard councilor Bussolati asked as early as July 2022 about the relationship between the Foundation and Vetrya. It’s unfortunate that such an important event for the whole of Veneto is currently cited only due to delays, investigations by the Veneto Court of Auditors and protests by environmentalists.” Thus comments Matteo Favero, head of Environment and Infrastructure PD Veneto.
