The Italian Football Federation filed its legal defense in a dispute over leadership verification rules ahead of the upcoming national ballot, as reported by gazzetta.it.
Tribunale Federale Nazionale Hearing Date
The National Federal Tribunal set a hearing for Friday, November 13, to rule on a legal challenge brought by presidential candidate Adriano Galliani against the federation’s candidate verification committee, according to gazzetta.it.
Galliani requested an emergency suspension of the committee’s appointment under article 97 of the Sports Justice Code, but tribunal president Carlo Sica declined to issue an immediate stay, opting instead for a collegial decision on the same day. As reported by ANSA, Adriano Galliani filed an appeal with the TFN challenging the committee established by commissioner Giovanni Malagò to vet candidacies for the presidency of the Federcalcio.
Disputed Committee Role
The verification panel was established on November 2 and coordinates under General Vincenzo Parrinello, alongside internal federation members Antonio Di Sebastiano and Ilaria Gioia, as noted by Sky Sport.
Federal sources told Sky Sport that the body exists to provide technical support to general secretary Marco Brunelli during candidate intake, maintaining that Brunelli retains sole statutory authority over final validation. Sky Sport reported that the committee structure aims to satisfy oversight demands from CONI following previous staffing criticisms.
Dual Endorsement Challenge
The legal filing centers on a contested dual endorsement involving Genoa, according to Sky Sport reporting on an ANSA document. Genoa initially backed Galliani before sending a certified electronic mail notice revoking that support and shifting its backing to incumbent commissioner Giovanni Malagò, Sky Sport noted.
The 14-page legal complaint argues that if Genoa’s initial signature remains attached to Galliani, Malagò might lack the requisite eleven signatures from Serie A clubs needed to stand for election, according to ANSA details cited by Sky Sport.
Legal Arguments on Impartiality
Attorney Lattanzi, who resigned from a separate federation committee, argued in the legal filing that verification by a body appointed by a candidate creates an irreparable prejudice for competitors and risks an election subject to renewed annulment, Sky Sport reported.
The federation maintains that the committee functions purely as an investigative aid for the general secretary, whose statutory role remains unchanged ahead of the mandatory publication of admissions by November 14, one month before the December 14 vote. The legal filing noted that suspending the contested measure does not halt or delay the electoral procedure, allowing the verification duty to return directly to the general secretary within statutory deadlines.
National Team Context
National team coach Roberto Mancini criticized the late shifts in stakeholder alliances during a press conference at Coverciano ahead of upcoming international fixtures, as detailed by Il Fatto Quotidiano. Mancini expressed frustration that organizations such as the Italian Players’ Association and the Italian Association of Football Coaches altered their backing from Malagò to Galliani months after initial endorsements, describing the political maneuvers as an disruptive shift for the federation.
The national team manager addressed reporters concisely from the federal technical center in Coverciano, where the squad is training for final Nations League group matches scheduled against France in Milan on Thursday, November 12, and against Belgium in Brussels on Sunday, November 15.
Voters Decide Between Malagò and Galliani
The December 14 ballot will ask voters to decide whether to confirm commissioner Giovanni Malagò—who became commissioner of himself following a membership case and a decision by the CONI board—or to select 82-year-old Adriano Galliani, former AC Milan chief executive under Silvio Berlusconi and current Forza Italia senator.
The Italian Players’ Association (AIC) and the Italian Association of Football Coaches (AIAC)—whose electoral voting weights stand at 20% and 10% respectively—opted for a major shift alongside Marotta and Percassi, joining forces to back Galliani’s candidacy after previously supporting Malagò.
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