ROME - A turning point in the race for the presidency of the Italian Football Federation. The Italian Footballers’ Association (AIC) and the Italian Football Coaches’ Association (AIAC) have collected the signatures needed to nominate Adriano Galliani for the FIGC presidency ahead of the federation’s electoral assembly on 14 December.
The decision shifts the balance of the contest and complicates the path for Giovanni Malagò, already a candidate to lead the federation. Players and coaches, who together account for 30% of the votes, have chosen to back the former Milan executive, making his candidacy less dependent on support from Lega Serie A.
In a joint statement, AIC and AIAC explain their choice by citing Galliani’s track record, experience and achievements, as well as the prospect of reforming the football system. The two associations hope his candidacy can also attract support from the federation’s other constituent bodies.
The decision is also believed to reflect a desire to break the deadlock in Lega Serie A and avoid extending the period in which the federation is run by a commissioner. The Footballers’ Association’s concerns over some decisions taken by Malagò in recent months are also understood to have influenced the choice.
The contest remains open, however. The positions taken by the other constituent bodies, starting with the amateur football sector, will be decisive, while the vote will rest with individual assembly delegates. Galliani’s candidacy thus opens up a new scenario in the race for the federation presidency, with Malagò no longer able to count on a support base similar to the one he enjoyed in the earlier stages of the contest.
