Italian Minister for Sport, Andrea Abodi, has refuted the remarks made by the departing FIGC President Gabriele Gravina. Gravina had previously suggested that the football association lacked adequate governmental backing. In response, Abodi stated, “When things go wrong, it’s always because of politics.”
Gravina announced his departure as FIGC President following Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive tournament. The national team’s elimination occurred after their defeat in the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of March. The head coach, Gennaro Gattuso, and Italy’s delegation chief, Gianluigi Buffon, have also resigned from their positions.
Gravina will continue to oversee basic administrative duties at the FIGC until a new President is elected on June 22. Since announcing his resignation, Gravina has published a report that outlines existing challenges within Italian football and the national team’s structure. His report highlighted persistent issues such as the low proportion of Italian players regularly featuring in Serie A, a deficit in investment in football infrastructure, and an imbalance in the strategic versus technical skill discussions. Gravina cited a lack of governmental financial support as one of the contributing factors to Italy’s international underperformance.
In a separate interview with Corriere della Sera, Gravina also mentioned exploring incentives for Italian youth academies to improve the development of local talent for Serie A. However, he claimed that the government was uncooperative in this endeavor.
Minister for Sport Abodi addressed Gravina’s recent statements during the Luiss Sport Forum in Rome. “I’ve learned that politics is always referred to in certain cases. When something doesn’t work, it’s always because of politics,” Abodi remarked, with a hint of sarcasm, according to TMW.
Abodi emphasized the need for collaborative solutions, stating, “I’ve never taken it out on anyone else. When you want to find a solution for the common good, you have to sit around the table with all relevant parties and make those decisions that have not been made in recent years, despite the broad consensus.”
He further commented, “To me, it doesn’t seem like we need to ‘invent’ anything. We have the possible solutions on the table, we just need to evaluate their compatibility together.”
Abodi also observed, “I’m fascinated by the things that have to be done. Unfortunately, due to the nature of football, which isn’t always harmonious, many of those things haven’t been done.” He concluded by suggesting that the overwhelming support Gravina received in the last election (98.7% of votes) did not necessarily translate into effective outcomes, highlighting that “it is not the quantity of the consensus that determines how things go, but the quality of the collaboration between all the parties.”