Il Italian football changes, At least at governance level. In the extraordinary assembly held yesterday in Fiumicino, the FIGC approved the reform of the federal statute proposed by President Gabriele Gravina. The amendment received the support of 83% of the delegates present, with a total of 461,69 votes in favour out of 516. However, there is a clear dissent from Serie A: no clubs voted in favour, with eight teams against and twelve abstentions.
During the vote, which analysed each article of the reform, Serie A remained united in do not support the proposal, except for the article on the role of referees, which received four votes in favour. The reform introduces changes in the composition of the council and in the electoral weight of the different football categories.
The Gravina line therefore passes but tensions with the Serie A League, led by Lorenzo Casini, remain open.
What is the Gravina Reform?
The reform aims to redraw the electoral weight of the leagues within the FIGC Federal Council, giving greater influence to Serie A, but without granting all the requests made by the top club League. The measure responds in part to the Mulè amendment, which had asked to increase the representative weight of Serie A "taking into account the economic contribution" that this category brings to Italian football.
In practice, the reform increase the number of representatives of Serie A from three to four and its electoral weight from 12% to 18%, leaving some clubs dissatisfied, who were aiming for a greater increase. At the same time, the Serie B sees its representatives grow from one to two, while the Lega Pro loses a representative, reducing its presence from two to one (from 17% to 12%). The Series D (34%) not Footballers' Associations (10%) and of the coaches (20%) maintain their representation shares, while theItalian Referee Association (Aia) loses its position within the Council.
La Serie A gets more autonomy and a power of veto on issues within his competence, but loses direct control on the championship, now under the supervision by an independent authority. The FIGC, on the other hand, maintains a counterveto on some technical issues and on refereeing management, a concession that Serie A had tried to avoid. In July, in fact, Lega Serie A had advanced the request to obtain a fifth director and an electoral weight of 20%, options rejected by FIGC.
Winners and Losers: Serie A Against, Other Leagues In Favor
The reform does increase the electoral weight of Serie A, but some clubs believe insufficient this growth, preferring a greater representation (especially citing the contents of the Mulé amendment on the weight of the leagues in relation to the economic contribution). The Serie A League aimed to have greater control and an electoral weight of 20% with 5 federal councillors. scheme proposed by Casini it was 5 for A, 1 for B, 1 for C, at most 5-1-2 or 5-2-1, rising to 6 with a withdrawal of D.
Hence the dissatisfaction of the League and the choice to vote against or abstain. A vote, however, that shows a split within Serie A: only 8 clubs (including Milan, Napoli and Lazio), supporters of Lotito and Casini, voted against, while 12 (such as Inter, Roma, Atalanta and Juventus) abstained, preferring a more moderate and dialoguing attitude with the FIGC. A division This division which indicates a loss of compactness and a weakening of the position of the president of the League, Lorenzo Casini, which could lead to further tensions in the coming months.
What changes for Italian football?
With the new reform, in essence, the Serie A gains a bigger role in managing their own affairs, but without absolute control that he would have wanted. The increase in electoral weight is important, but Serie A does not gain the power to have the final say in the event of disagreements with the FIGC, especially on sensitive issues such as the registration of non-EU players and the rules on national licensing.
The reform represents a compromise between the demands of Serie A and the need for maintain a balance between the various components of Italian football. The FIGC has ensured greater representation for top clubs, but has retained control over some strategic and regulatory aspects to preserve the unity of the entire system. Serie A's dissatisfaction could lead to further claims and appeals, like the one already announced to challenge the legitimacy of the assembly.
Football reform: Gravina satisfied but tensions remain
The deputy George Mule, promoter of the amendment at the basis of the reform, has expressed satisfaction for the outcome, calling it “a step forward in the modernization of the football system”. For Mulè “after 20 years we have started working on one anti-historical statute, thanks to the famous amendment. Whether there are four or five councilors for Serie A, the important thing was to recognize the essential nature of a real reform”.
Lorenzo Casini, president of the Serie A League, has split confirmed among the clubs, explaining: “No club voted in favour. The clubs were free to abstain, the important thing was maintain a non-favorable position”. Casini then announced that the League has filed an appeal and that the assembly on November 18 will serve to “decide how to move forward”.
The FIGC president's response was immediate, Gabriele Gravina: “We met Serie A by copying what it had asked of us. The 12 abstentions showed the discomfort between those who understood the effort made and those who wanted to force the hand”.
Tensions between Serie A and FIGC remain high, and in the coming weeks new moves are expected from both the League and the Federation to clarify their position and seek a common path. The reform could represent a first step towards greater autonomy for Serie A, but the lack of unanimous consensus indicates that the path towards a stable balance is still long and full of obstacles.
