La Procura orders FIGC probe into Malagò’s election

The prosecutor of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) has ordered the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) to investigate the election of Giovanni Malagò, after he resolved the national team coach issue and now faces two fresh legal challenges, including the contested appointment of Diana Bianchedi as Italy’s delegation chief.

Conflict of interest over delegation chief

The first case centres on the nomination of Diana Bianchedi as head of delegation for Italia, a move challenged by CONI because Bianchedi also serves as vice‑president of the Comitato Olimpico, creating a potential conflict of interest.

Legal challenge to Malagò’s registration

The second case directly concerns Malagò’s election as the number‑one of the Federcalcio. Lawyer Renato Miele, a former Lazio player, filed a complaint after being denied a candidacy for lacking the support of at least one federation component.

Miele alleges that Malagò may not be properly registered with the Federation, a prerequisite stipulated in article 29, paragraph 1 of the FIGC Statute. The complaint had previously been dismissed at several levels of sports justice.

Now the Procura generale dello Sport has written to the FIGC’s federal prosecutor, invoking article 47, paragraph 1 of the Codice della Giustizia Sportiva, and asking to open a file to verify the alleged registration and its effective dates.

Potential fallout for FIGC leadership

The request also points to a lack of assistance or clarity from the FIGC, noting that no objective documents have been filed and no administrative initiative by the federal prosecutor has been activated. Prosecutor Ugo Taucer has asked federal prosecutor Giuseppe Chiné to verify what has never been examined, as no judge has yet determined whether Malagò was registered.

For a month, the inquiry has sought to clear a doubt that could directly affect Malagò’s presidency and the decisions he has taken in recent weeks, with possible repercussions for the future of Italian football.

If Malagò were to be removed, the first measure would be to annul the elections and place the FIGC under a commissariat. The federation, however, maintains that the current president has been deemed eligible by the offices.

The General Sports Prosecutor’s request aims to confirm this, because the registration issue was not definitively resolved by the Collegio. Under article 12 quater of the CONI Statute, the federal prosecutor must open a file, acquire Malagò’s registration, record its terms of effect, and verify whether the requirement existed and when.

To date, no investigations have been launched nor responses received from the FIGC. Meanwhile, on 11 September the Corte Federale della FIGC will examine the new complaint filed by Miele, which was previously rejected on 8 August by the Tribunale Federale, and a possible appeal to the TAR of Lazio is being considered after the Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport issued its sentence.