Storm over Gravina for phrases about other sports: "Disrespect to Goggia, Sinner, Brignone, Antonelli…"

The controversy is erupting over Gabriele Gravina over Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup and beyond: the FIGC president also ended up in the social media storm for his phrases about “other sports,” which are considered disrespectful by all sports fans.

Incited by questions at the press conference, Gravina responded thus to those who asked him about the failures of soccer compared to all other blue sports, which are collecting successes never seen in the past: “Football is a professional sport, the others are amateur, we make reports on the basis of equity. You can make different choices, such as the commitment of young people within the under in their own tournaments, the others are state sports, such as winter sports, except for Arianna Fontana, they are all state employees.”

These phrases sparked fans’ anger on social media: “Tell it to Jannik Sinner, Sofia Goggia, Kimi Antonelli, Federica Brignone, Jasmine Paolini, Sara Errani, Marcell Jacobs, Gianmarco Tamberi, the champions of men’s and women’s volleyball,” “We need more amateurs like Sinner, Antonelli, Goggia,” “Athletes like Jannik Sinner, Sofia Goggia, Marcel Jacobs and Gianmarco Tamberi live from sports, training and international victories,” “Is it possible to hear these words?!? The boys and girls of volleyball, Sinner, Musetti, Kimi Antonelli, Paolini, Errani, and so many others who give luster to Italian sport … all amateurs?”

The posts on Facebook and X are thousands and very harsh against the president of the FIGC, who has decided not to resign ahead of the extraordinary Federal Council that will decide how to act after yet another debacle.

“I take my responsibilities, but there is a venue deputed to make the evaluations, the Federal Council that I have already asked to convene for next week,” Gravina explained. “There, in-depth evaluations will be made that will also concern the entire Italian football system, because it is clear that we are experiencing a great crisis. Unfortunately, it is thought that the Federation can decide, choose how to constitute a team, but here there is a very broad reflection to be made and we will dedicate ourselves to this next week. I understand the exercise of asking for resignations, an exercise that I am particularly used to in recent times, but evaluations are rightfully up to the Federal Council.”