A Repubblica: «I have diplomatic skills, I was consul for Canada in Northern Italy. I think they chose me for this. I have no incompatibilities”
Gc Milano 20/12/2012 – assembly for the election of president of Lega Calcio Serie A / photo Giuseppe Celeste/Image Sport in the photo: Ezio Maria Simonelli
Lega Serie A, the newly elected Simonelli: «They didn't let me speak after the vote, it's shocking»
Repubblica interviews the new president of the Lega Serie A Enzo Simonelli who was elected but was not proclaimed. Interview from which it is very clear that the climate in Lega Serie A is anything but peaceful.
Repubblica writes, with Matteo Pinci:
«I like the word peacemaker. I believe there is a need for peace in Italian football.” Ezio Simonelli had to wait more than 24 hours to be able to speak as the new president of the Serie A and this is his first interview. Elected with 14 votes, his proclamation was blocked by internal struggles.
Yesterday the official announcement: «But legally the proclamation does not exist. I hoped that with such a solid group of companies supporting me, my election would be a moment to unite the League.”
Simonelli, however, after his election a battle broke out.
«In sport you fight fairly to win and then honor the winner with equal loyalty and honesty. Here the fighting was not very fair. I was ready to make a conciliatory speech, not to say “I will be the president of everyone”, which is what those who then become president of someone say. I say that I will be a president who listens to the requests of all 20 companies, not just two or three. There will be times when interests will conflict and mediation will need to be found.”
You will need great diplomatic skills.
«Diplomatic skills should be recognized by definition, given that I was the Consul for Canada in northern Italy (and here the Napolista's question arises: is Northern Italy a state in itself?). I think they chose me for this. We needed a person of balance, who wouldn't get overwhelmed and wouldn't overlap with anyone. Controversies like those of the other day which are then crushed by facts and left to their own devices are not good for them. I read an article entitled: “The war of the League”. And unfortunately it was true. But war is a very serious word, I would no longer want to read it combined with the world of football. It would have been better to come out with a nice statement to say: “We finally have a strong presidency”.
Only on Friday did the League split over his appointment.
«I found what happened after the vote shocking. It's the first time a president has been elected and he hasn't been called to thank him.”
Not only that: your predecessor convened a League Council to establish whether you meet the independence requirements.
«I have already told the clubs that that League Council was illegitimately convened. There will be no judgment on candidates and independence. I presented the self-certification as per the Statute, anyone who thinks I lied can report me, but I know I certified the truth. In listed companies, the independence of the directors is verified, not of one but of all: if necessary, we will verify the independence of all the directors as soon as the governance is established”.
He has resigned from Mediaset and Mondadori, who have the same ownership as Monza.
«I resolved all the incompatibilities upstream, the real ones and others that were a bit forced. I have too much respect for the League and for those who elected me to let them take any risks. It was a sacrifice, both prestige and economic. But I love football, I made a commitment.”
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