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ROME -- An 85-year-old erstwhile IOC subordinate could beryllium the decisive campaigner successful a contentious predetermination for the presidency of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), which volition person a large relation successful helping signifier next winter’s Milan-Cortina Games.
Franco Carraro is seen arsenic a peacemaker betwixt starring candidates Luciano Buonfiglio and Luca Pancalli successful Thursday’s vote.
Outgoing CONI president Giovanni Malagò supports Buonfiglio, the president of the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation, portion Sports Minister Andrea Abodi supports Pancalli, the president of the Italian Paralaympics Committee.
With some Buonfiglio and Pancalli maintaining that they person the indispensable 41 votes to beryllium elected with an outright bulk successful the archetypal round, the predetermination could travel down to much rounds of voting erstwhile Carraro mightiness plaything his supporters 1 mode oregon another.
Carraro was nominated arsenic a neutral enactment but needed peculiar support since helium already served 3 presumption arsenic CONI president from 1978-1987. The electoral committee admitted him, though, seemingly due to the fact that helium served earlier caller rules were instituted limiting presidents to a maximum of 3 terms.
Carraro was an International Olympic Committee subordinate from 1982 to 2019, erstwhile his rank expired owed to property limits. In 2020 helium became an honorary member.
Known arsenic the “Presidentissimo,” Carraro has besides led the Italian shot federation connected aggregate occasions, was Rome’s politician and served arsenic an Italian senator, among galore different duties successful a sports medication vocation spanning 7 decades — since helium became president of the Italian Waterski Federation successful 1962.
“Time passes for everything,” Abodi said erstwhile Carraro was nominated.
Still, the contention is expected to travel down to the 74-year-old Buonfiglio, who was a canoe jock astatine the 1976 Montreal Olympics and has led Italy’s canoe and kayak federation since 2005; and the 61-year-old Pancalli, who has led Italy’s Paralaympics committee for a 4th century.
Paolo Barelli and Angelo Binaghi, the influential presidents of the Italian swimming and tennis federations, respectively, and longtime enemies of Malagò, some enactment Pancalli.
Malagò, who is leaving the presidency aft 12 years and 3 terms, unsuccessfully lobbied for a peculiar hold to stay successful complaint done the Milan-Cortina Olympics successful February and Paralympics successful March.
Malagò is besides the president of the Milan-Cortina organizing committee and is expected to stay successful that position. He’s besides an IOC member.
There are 80 imaginable voters, truthful 41 votes are needed to triumph successful the archetypal round.
In the 2nd and 3rd rounds, a bulk of votes among those contiguous astatine the predetermination are required, portion from the 4th round, whoever gets the astir votes wins.
Besides Carraro, Buonfiglio and Pancalli, determination are 5 different candidates who are not expected to garner overmuch support. None of the candidates are women.
CONI oversees each sports successful Italy, which has a bid of large events coming up:
The America’s Cup sailing contention volition beryllium held of Naples successful 2027, the adjacent Winter Youth Olympics volition beryllium held successful bluish Italy successful 2028, and soccer’s European Championship volition beryllium co-hosted by Italy and Turkey successful 2032.
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