«The technical direction for Emanuela Maccarani has not been confirmed, I’m taking it ad interim, as I did last year with the men’s artistic. It is my decision after having also heard President Malagó and after the long discussion with the federal council. You will continue to coach the national team.” Thus Gherardo Tecchi, president of the FGI, after the federal council held today at Coni on the future of the technical director and rhythmic coach accused of mistreatment and psychological abuse after the complaints of some former gymnasts.
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«What happened yesterday will be decided by the ordinary and federal prosecutors, what exists today in Desio is an idyllic climate. We also heard from Alessia Maurelli, the captain of the Butterflies, as well as the psychologist and Commissioner Peroni. She was very good and very thorough. Maccarani will continue to coach the team, because we don’t think it’s right to be the judges. Maccarani was also suspended as technical director to have the chance to defend herself better, she has every right to do so. We have the utmost confidence in the sports prosecutor’s office and in the Monza prosecutor’s office, we hope they do it quickly. But sport can’t wait, two, three years, when the World, European and Olympic Games are looming. We have to conquer the classification at the Olympics, there is no time to lose. What we ask is a little peace of mind. From now on, we are calm. Even if the girls were under a lot of pressure, on a mental level,” Tecchi later told reporters. The next federal council is on February 2, dedicated to establishing the budgets for the various sports disciplines.
“Sports managers, like journalists, shouldn’t be judges. But the judges must be quick and capable» was instead the concise comment of the president of Coni Giovanni Malagò. A comment that then anticipated the decision communicated by Tecchi. But what did Maurelli say? “Very polite and no controversy, he couldn’t have behaved better than that” is the only statement by the president.
President Tecchi then also commented on the news reported by La Stampa, on the photo of the national team giving the middle finger to the lens: «The photo offends anyone who has appropriated a photograph with four minors inside. They addressed it to the year 2022 which was tragic for them, not to their former colleagues. In 2022 they failed to qualify, so it was a horribilis year for them.”