Italy: National Team Loses Head of Delegation—The Reason Behind the Resignation
The Italian national team has lost its head of delegation. On Wednesday evening, Diana Bianchedi resigned from the position she had assumed on August 9. A highly successful fencer who, over the course of her career, won two Olympic gold medals and five world titles in team foil for herself and Italy, Diana Bianchedi explained her decision in a letter that the FIGC published on its official website.
“Following the statements made by the Minister of Sports and Youth, Andrea Abodi, and the controversy that ensued in the media this afternoon, I am resigning as Head of Delegation for the national team,” wrote Diana Bianchedi. This decision stems from the great respect I have for CONI, its Executive Committee, the FIGC, and sports institutions, as demonstrated by my career as an athlete and an executive. I have always acted with integrity and professionalism, respecting the rules and people, for the good of the sport—values that are now being unfairly called into question.”
“Furthermore, I am choosing to step down out of respect for what the blue jersey represents, first and foremost to protect the team from unnecessary controversy. I found this team to be united, motivated, and made up of great professionals—from the head coach to the players and the entire staff. I thank them for how they welcomed me and for the emotions they’ve allowed me to experience, even in just a few days. Let’s remember that sports are—and must be—first and foremost about this. Let’s cheer for these guys; they deserve it,” concluded Diana Bianchedi.
Bianchedi’s appointment, sought by FIGC President Giovanni Malagò, had been presented from the outset as a true “cultural revolution.” The head of Italian soccer himself had explained the reasons behind the choice to *La Gazzetta dello Sport*: “Soccer must no longer be perceived as a world apart. Diana enjoys international prestige and credibility—she is a two-time Olympic champion with a background in academic studies and specializations, including a medical degree, master’s degrees in sports and management, a top leadership role at Milano Cortina, and the position of deputy vice president of CONI.” In short, she is the ideal figure to put soccer back at the center of a comprehensive dialogue with the world of sports.
Born in 1969, Diana Bianchedi is one of the most well-rounded figures in Italian sports. In addition to her competitive successes in fencing—two Olympic gold medals won in Barcelona in 1992 and Sydney in 2000, five world titles, and two European titles, earning her a place in the World Fencing Hall of Fame—she has built a solid management career over time. With a degree in medicine and surgery and a specialization in sports medicine, she has held prominent positions at the FIGC and UEFA, and was one of the key figures in the successful bid by Milan-Cortina for the 2026 Winter Games, subsequently joining the organizing committee.
