Malagò on Growth Decree: Abolition favourable but other opportunities should be considered

Giovanni Malagò, President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), has made his thoughts clear on the abrogation of the Growth Decree, in an interview with Radio Anch’Io Sport on Radio Rai.

Expressing his displeasure, Malagò was quoted as saying, “I disagree with the decision to not extend the norm. We’re talking about 50 athletes who in 90% of cases are players of international calibre.”

He indicated that whilst there was need for correction in the base amounts, the abolition of the decree would still lead to a depletion of the heritage and the quality of the Italian championship. He further commented on the widespread uncertainty around the decision, expecting the actual impact to become acutely apparent in the next couple of years.

According to Malagò, even with this bleak projection, he finds hope in the potential for national innovation brought about by crisis, “often in need, our country manages to bring out unexpected virtues.”

Taking a more comprehensive view, he suggested the possibility of abandoning the Growth Decree provided if alternative opportunities within football were reconsidered. He referenced lost revenue avenues such as betting, certain advertisements, and revenues handed to the treasury that do not re-enter the system.

Malagò wrapped up his comments by stressing the need for a more integrated system approach, offering a critique of the unilateral action taken. “You cannot make a one-size-fits-all measure without having an integrated system discussion, which has always been lacking,” he lamented.

The interview aired on Radio Anch’Io Sport on Radio Rai was an opportunity for Malagò to voice his concerns over the abolition of the Growth Decree and its potential impact on the state of sport in Italy, particularly football. With the impact of this decision not immediately clear, time will tell if the authorities will heed Malagò’s advice and reassess their approach.