The Turin president’s discussion with Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, who announces short deadlines to evaluate sponsorships from betting companies
We talked about football in Atreju, the resources that are missing and the upcoming reforms. A theme that filled one of the two tents set up by the organization in the Circus Maximus with enthusiasts beyond all limits. In the same minutes, the leader of the M5S, Giuseppe Conte, was being interviewed in the other room, while pouring rain gave no respite.
On stage the Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi he appeared in the mood for commitments and anticipations. Pressing him, especially the presidents of Milan and Turin, Paolo Scaroni e Urban Cairo (publisher of Corriere della Sera), agree on the need for address the crisis in the sector. They also participated in the debate Giancarlo Abete (president of the National Amateur League), Federica Cappelletti (president of the women’s Serie A division), Stefano AzziCEO of Dazn and, in connection, the former defender Alessandro Costacurta.
«The world of football – observed Cairo – presents an imbalance between costs and revenues very important. In Italy an average of one billion was lost per year in the last 5 years, also thanks to Covid, which has dealt a tremendous blow to the sector. Of course, since the sports rights arrived in ’93 – he continued – the revenues have grown significantly, but the costs have increased greatly. Resources are needed. Then it will be up to us to contain the costs.”
On one point Cairo asked for clarity: «The only sector than in Italy does not benefit from Growth decree is football: why are footballers and coaches who come from abroad not allowed to obtain the tax advantages enjoyed by other workers? It seems to me that some aspects of unconstitutionality could be raised” he hypothesized.
For the president of Turin it would also be necessary unlock in Italy the sponsorship ban imposed on betting companya ban that does not exist in the rest of Europe. Just as it would be important to “intervene on piracy”, which takes away resources for a sum that the CEO of Dazn, Stefano Azzi, has quantified as million per day. This is a topic also raised by Paolo Scaroni. «Despite the many defects that football has – said Abete – the world of football gives more than it receives. Football financed all Italian sport: it is its engine.”
Minister Abodi assured those present that the issue of betting companies will be evaluated soon: «Short time commitment – he said – it is that of return of betting advertising (betting), which is also educational.” For the companies themselves he guaranteed that «there will certainly be one withdrawal percentage. It remains to be understood how much it will be, because the Budget is evolving, but it is significant that it will be there. And the finalization will take social priorities into account.”
It will not be from this levy that the aid to the sports clubs involved in the new stadiums will come: «There is a working group – explained Abodi – who is working on the creation of an equity fund which will not be financed by the maneuver but with other instruments. And it will intervene to contribute to that technological component that will necessarily be present in all stadiums.”
As for the piracy, the government is working on a protocol that should apply the existing law “which is among the best in Europe”. Abodi has announced that he also intends to intervene on the typology of footballers’ employment contracts, bringing some innovations. Finally, urged by Cappelletti who raised the gender issue in sports bodies, he hoped that women would join the federal council of the FIGC.
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