The Federal Council of the Italian Cycling Federation has ordered the Professional Cycling League to be placed under special administration, appointing Carabinieri General Mauro Capone, who has held leadership roles in the Forestry Sports Group for over twenty years, as Commissioner. Capone will meet with members at the end of July. The decision was announced in a press release, which refers to "repeated and serious violations of federal regulations and the agreement signed on August 13, 2024.".
The Lega Ciclismo Professionistico (LCP) responded promptly, deeming the measure completely unfounded and announcing action to protect its rights and reputation in the relevant sports justice bodies, both at the federal level and at CONI. The LCP emphasizes that it "has repeatedly expressed its willingness to reach an agreement with the Federation on the merits of the Convention, respecting their respective competences and with the aim of continuing the joint work undertaken in recent years." This work, according to a statement from the LCP, has led to the creation of new races and increased revenues for teams and organizers, as evidenced by the strong surplus that exceeded forecasts and is free of any irregularities. The LCP expresses concern that the decision could have serious consequences for the entire cycling movement, both in the short and long term, with fewer races, less visibility, lower revenues, and increasing difficulties in scheduling and supporting sporting activity. This will particularly impact cyclists who do not earn high salaries and for whom the Italian autumn calendar represents a crucial platform and an important opportunity to establish themselves.
Meanwhile, theThe 2nd Section of the FCI Federal Court rejected the League's request to suspend federal resolutions no. 46 and no. 140, with which the FCI suspended the agreement of 13 August 2024.
