Russian betting company ties spark resistance to appointing soccer great Pirlo as Italy coach

Andrea Pirlo‘s possible appointment as Italy head coach has hit political resistance over his commercial ties to a Russian betting company.

The 47-year-old World Cup winner had emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Gennaro Gattuso after former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reportedly turned down the position.

However, key figures in the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Italian parliamentarians are now weighing up the fallout from Pirlo’s role as a global ambassador for Russian bookmaker Fonbet.

The FIGC declined to comment when contacted by Reuters but a source close to the matter said Pirlo‘s connections to the Russian betting company were being evaluated and the matter was not closed.

Pirlo, currently managing United Arab Emirates Pro League side United FC in Dubai, signed an ambassadorship deal with Fonbet in October. Scrutiny intensified following his appearance alongside former Italy teammate Marco Materazzi at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium during an event organized by the bookmaker.

The visit prompted criticism, with commentators noting that the promotional event coincided with aerial attacks on Ukraine.

Pirlo defended his involvement, saying his presence was strictly non-political.

“The professional collaboration that is the subject of recent controversy came about as part of my working experience in the United Arab Emirates and is exclusively of a commercial and sporting nature,” Pirlo said in a statement posted on his Instagram.

“To attribute a political significance to this collaboration is to ascribe to me beliefs that I have never expressed and that do not reflect who I am.

“I regret that a decision of a sporting nature was so quickly dragged into a public debate that ended up attributing to me meanings and intentions that are not my own.”

The controversy complicates the start of Giovanni Malago’s tenure as FIGC president, coming weeks after his election to lead the restructuring of Italian football following the national team’s third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Despite Pirlo having the backing of newly appointed FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini, the controversy has created significant friction among politicians who have raised objections, saying that a commercial agreement with a Russian gambling operator is not compatible with the role of leading the national team.

“After yet another defeat and another missed World Cup qualification, Italian football desperately needed a cultural, ethical and managerial revolution. The choice of Andrea Pirlo goes in the exact opposite direction,” Pina Picierno, a vice-president of the European Parliament, said on social media.

The controversy has also complicated the coaching search internally.

Italian media have reported that Maldini, who accepted the technical director role earlier this month with responsibility for selecting the national team coach, could reconsider his position if Pirlo‘s candidacy is blocked.

Ignazio La Russa, the head of the Senate, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party and a prominent Inter Milan fan, expressed doubts over the potential appointment.

“I respect Malago, (federation advisor) Leonardo and Maldini, in that order, and so I didn’t immediately make any statements about Pirlo as Italy coach, also out of respect for them,” La Russa told news agency ANSA on Saturday. “I am speaking only because you called me: God help us.

“Of course I am an Italy fan and Pirlo was a great champion, but as a coach, it is a leap in the dark,” he added.

Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione party, was even more direct in his criticism.

“Anyone who is or has been promoting Russia after 2022 should not hold national office,” Calenda said.

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