Diana Bianchedi appointed head of Italian national football delegation

Giovanni Malagò, President of the FIGC, has appointed Diana Bianchedi as the new head of delegation for the Italian national football team. Bianchedi, a two-time Olympic fencing champion and current Vice President of CONI, was selected to foster a “cultural revolution” aimed at integrating football more closely with the broader Italian sporting system.

The appointment has triggered an institutional dispute between the FIGC and CONI. CONI has launched formal investigations to evaluate potential conflicts of interest and incompatibilities regarding Bianchedi’s dual roles as a member of the CONI National Council and a high-ranking federal official. CONI officials stated they are acting to protect the integrity of the National Council under current statutes.

The FIGC has rejected these concerns, asserting that no state or statutory regulations prohibit a CONI member from holding a federal position. The federation maintains that Bianchedi’s role is one of “mere representation and institutional accompaniment” rather than an operational or managerial position, and therefore does not constitute a permanent conflict of interest.