The Italian soccer world on
Monday failed to elect a new chief of the Italian Soccer
Federation (FIGC) and a commissioner beckoned to replace Carlo
Tavecchio.
The failure came after amateur league candidate Cosimo
Sibilia told his supporters to file blank ballots, meaning that
his remaining rival, Soccer League candidate Gabriele Gravina,
would not have the necessary 50% plus one of the vote to replace
Tavecchio, who resigned after Italy failed to make the World
Cup.
In the final ballot pitting Sibilia against pre-vote
favourite Gravina, the blank ballots won out with 59% of the
vote.
The third candidate, Professional Footballers' Association
head Damiano Tommasi, dropped out after the third round.
Tommasi said after Sibilia's move: "it is certainly a defeat
and there will certainly be a commissioner.
"But it's right that someone from outside should start
dealing with things".
He said "perhaps it isn't an accident that we're out of the
World Cup.
"We needed a change and we have deemed that neither of the
two candidates represented this seriously".
Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis said "this was a waste of
time, and Italian soccer needs to be rebuilt".
photo: Sibilia (L) with Gravina
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