Unlike its French neighbor, the Italian National Olympic Committee had a choice when it came to electing its new president. Eight candidates presented themselves, and in the end, it was Luciano Buonfiglio (74 years old) who was elected to take over from Giovanni MalagoThe former canoeist, president of the National Canoe-Kayak Federation since 2005, obtained 47 votes out of 81, or an absolute majority, from the first round. He assured that athletes will be at the heart of his mandate.
The former president of the Italian Paralympic Committee, Luca Pancalli, ranked second with 34 votes. Pancalli having taken another direction, it is now Marco Junio De Sanctis who will chair the Paralympic body. He was elected with 54 votes out of 56 (two abstentions). Like Buonfiglio, De Sanctis will have to get straight to the heart of the matter with the prospect of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games, which will be followed by the 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games in the Dolomites.
