Italy Minister for Sport hits back at Ceferin over Serie A stadiums | OneFootball

Italy’s Minister for Sport, Andrea Abodi, gives a ‘respectful but firm response’ to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, who has threatened to remove Italy as co-host of Euro 2032: ‘In other countries, infrastructure development has not been the result of public funding.’

UEFA President Čeferin claimed two weeks ago that Italy would lose its role as co-host of the 2032 Euros if stadiums do not meet the requirements and previously called the country’s infrastructure “a shame.”

Speaking to Italian reporters during an event on Thursday, as quoted by Gazzetta, Abodi replied by suggesting that politics has fewer responsibilities than clubs that have lacked investment in new stadiums over the years.

“I give a respectful but firm response to President Čeferin,” Abodi said.

“In other countries, infrastructure development has not been the result of public funding but of the initiative of clubs from an administrative standpoint, as well as of a culture of high-level sports facilities that differs from that in our country. Milan is a clear example of this.”

CESENA, ITALY – MAY 24:Andrea Abodi during the Women Supercup match betweeen AS Roma and ACF Fiorentina at Dino Manuzzi Stadium on May 24, 2024 in Cesena, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Abodi also spoke about the FIGC Presidential elections taking place on June 22, with Giovanni Malagò and Giancarlo Abete expected to be the only candidates to replace Gabriele Gravina: “More than leadership, we need governance rules that allow decisions to be made,” Abodi said.

“Gravina is not the only one responsible; the system, as a whole, in its various components, has failed to take a step forward.”