Andrea Pirlo’s hopes of becoming Italy’s next head coach have been thrown into turmoil when the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) opened an investigation into his commercial relations with Russian betting operator Fonbet.
Pirlo was about to take over the national team, but Giovanni Malagò, President of the FIGC, has halted the process while the federation investigates his role as a commercial ambassador for Fonbet, a Russian-backed gambling company that is prohibited from doing business in Italy.
Pina Picierno, the vice president of the European Parliament, and Ignazio La Russa, the president of the Senate, have criticized the move politically, claiming that heading the Italian national team is incompatible with any affiliation with a Russian betting company.
In response, Pirlo has stated that the alliance has been misconstrued.
He wrote, “I have watched with great bitterness the debate that has developed around my name and the possibility of taking on the role of head coach of the Italian national team in recent days.”
“I have so far decided to keep quiet out of respect for the organizations, the Federation, and everyone involved. But I think a few things need to be made clear.
“I have always performed my job in complete accordance with the rules of the nations in which I have worked and with the contracts I have signed throughout my career, both as a player and as a coach.
“The professional collaboration that has been the focus of the recent controversy is solely commercial and sporting in nature and comes from my work experience in the United Arab Emirates.”
“Giving that collaboration a political significance entails assigning to me opinions that I have never spoken and that are not my own.
“I want to express my gratitude to Maldini and Leonardo for their respect and confidence in me. I am aware of their skill, commitment, and unwavering devotion to Italian football.
“I regret that a purely athletic decision was swiftly dragged into a public dispute that ultimately led to the attribution of meanings and intentions that do not belong to me.”
“Love for Italy is independent of one’s occupation. It is a component of my identity and history, and it will always be with me.
Pirlo’s anticipated nomination is still pending because the FIGC has not yet disclosed when its review would be finished.
