Italy and repechage to the World Cup, Gravina ‘votes’ no: “Shameful idea”

“I wasn’t forced to resign, it was a personal choice”

On the choice to resign after the last failure to qualify for the football World Cup, Gravina clarifies: “I was not forced to resign, in the most absolute way”. “It was my personal choice – adds Gravina on La 7 -. I had made a commitment to all the Italian fans to go to the World Cup and unfortunately I did not keep this commitment. It was right to resign. I am not inclined to be pressured, I think with my head and my clarity. It was an act of responsibility towards the federation, institutional hysteria of all kinds was underway, it was better not to overexpose the FIGC. I don’t think I have failed. If linked to small episodes, of course, I failed, but if we want to talk about activity in all its forms and the projects carried out, our federation is among the most appreciated in Europe”.

“Malagò and Abete are two excellent managers, but I have made the solemn commitment not to push anyone”, he then added on the race for the presidency of the FIGC.

“Absolutely no to the FIGC commissionership”

“We are evaluating the work of the FIGC on the basis of just one national team, but there are many, both men’s and women’s. Gattuso? For me he was absolutely the right man. He was the best, at that moment we needed someone to help the kids rediscover their values ​​and attachment to the shirt, but unfortunately the sporting result was missing”, says Gravina.

“The Italians attribute responsibilities to the FIGC that it doesn’t have, there are confusions of roles. We didn’t go to the World Cup three times and the pattern is the same, looking for a scapegoat. Everyone is convinced that the national team players depend on the FIGC, but there are championships, leagues and rules. Unfortunately there are laws and statutes, rules that must be respected. You can’t activate a reform mechanism if everyone doesn’t agree”, he states, saying “absolutely no to commissionership”. “It is contrary – adds Gravina – to the autonomy of sport, to the statutes, to UEFA and FIFA. I have heard talk of commissioners for changes that they could make independently. The relationship between sport and politics is closer than one might imagine. Sport is economy, identity, culture. I understand that the politician has an interest in addressing such a wide audience, but there is a need for autonomy. If you try to invade the field of others you implement the principle of rupture and institutional rupture”, added Gravina Eight and a half on La7. “Does it seem normal to you that a person who is president of Lazio, who has been in the federal council for twenty years and talks about a disaster, which only went away because it was defeated, takes part in the culture commission? I hear talk about the modification of law 91/1981 which has been repealed and about the ‘sporting restriction’, which this government has removed. There is something that doesn’t add up. We ask for respect for football”.

“We are throwing mud on the referees case without knowing anything”

The outgoing president of the FIGC also expressed his opinion on the referees case. “Why are we only guaranteed by alternating current? Behind that role of designator there is a man, a life, a family. We should be guaranteeists, we are throwing mud without knowing anything”, he said.