The president of the FIGC at the Italian embassy in London: “Gambling addiction is a problem in the country and must be addressed. There are many contradictions. We can not only punish but also help them overcome their weaknesses”
– London
Gabriele Gravina, president of the FIGC, spoke at the Italian Embassy in London a few hours before the match between England and Italy valid for the Euro 2024 qualifiers. “As FIGC president they give me a lot of responsibilities, but I don’t feel particularly involved. they are from a human point of view: these boys are children for me and they cannot become cannon fodder as they are becoming. It is not a civilized modality in a civilized country. In Italy there is a disease: gambling addiction is a social plague, not of football Italian. There are 5.1 million people who play and 1.5 million are sick. It is clear that someone is also in football. We don’t hold back: we don’t just want to condemn and those who make mistakes will be punished, with the utmost speed and clarity. All those who ask for help will have it: the FIGC must not only punish, but accompany in the healing process.”
norms
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Gravina continues: “We need to start a recovery project. These kids can’t bet, but according to Italian legislation they can do it on legal platforms. If they do it on illegal platforms they commit a crime that leads to a fine. The kids are punished if they bet on football because we have included it as the norm: minimum sanction of 3 years and 25 thousand euro fine. Why is the incredible contradiction between an institutional entity that invites people to play with commercial offers while I am busy keeping the kids and not letting them play is underlined? , even with courses held from May for all national teams, men’s and women’s? Why don’t we underline this contradiction, the risk that exists? We cannot hide the social plague: young people must be helped and if they gamble they must also be punished at the of judiciary. We need coordination with sport. We will never abandon these kids.”