The presidents of the football clubs are in turmoil. But not only them. All sport, or rather professional sport. A sacred and inviolable principle, that is the autonomy of sport is about to be questioned by an amendment proposed by the Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi. The plan provides that control over the accounts of football clubs will pass into the hands of a government agency and no longer into those of Covisoc, i.e. the Supervisory Commission established at the FIGC.
A sensational invasion of the pitch, as it is perceived by the presidents of the clubs who believe it to be Abodi’s move the response to the requests for autonomy of the League of A proclaimed and reiterated by president Lorenzo Casini and Lazio number one, Claudio Lotito.
By dint of asking for independence from the federation, the FIGC is about to be stripped of control over the companies’ budgets. The amendment that still has to be voted on provides that lhe Presidency of the Council appoints an authority, directed by three figures and made up of around thirty controllers in total. Seats that would cost the clubs controlled (which certainly did not ask to be controlled by an entity outside the sporting perimeter) 2.5 million of Euro.
Moreover, there are those who point out that the clubs participating in the cups are already under the aegis of UEFA which grants licenses following checks, and the requirements to pass the checks are very strict. Federal President Gabriele Gravina has called an extraordinary meeting for Monday of the presidents of the components (Lega di A, B, Lega Pro, Coaches, Players and Referees), preparatory to next week’s federal council.
Because it can be a problem
In the current system, economic-financial control is, as mentioned, the responsibility of the federations. And this is why government interference could create some problems in relations with UEFA and FIFA.
A similar system was introduced ten years ago in Spainafter the government and clubs had agreed to reduce the debt.
