Giovanna Melandri replies to De Laurentiis: “It’s not true that my law killed football”

Dear Director, The Scudetto has brought joy, satisfaction and contagious cheer to Naples and Napoli, which reached all the fans and which I too shared wholeheartedly. Spalletti made a masterpiece and Giuntoli was magical in finding unknown players. De Laurentiis hit the mark and he deserves the most sincere congratulations.

I’m sorry, however, that alongside joy and satisfaction I haven’t placed a personal obsession to which I decide to respond only today after 21 years. The great magnificent result of Napoli, in fact, shouldn’t lead De Laurentiis to once again lose elegance and sense of proportion in the confrontation between opposing ideas, which he still continues to lack after so many years.

I remember as Minister of Cultural Heritage of having left the FUS in 2001 at its all-time high for available funds. The goal has always been to make the whole sector grow and not just those who have the strongest voice, leaving no one behind. As for the 2008 law (which I drew up together with the then telecommunications minister Paolo Gentiloni) it was invoked by the top management of football and by that part of the clubs and companies which asked for balanced regulation capable of fostering healthy competition to protect the right of all to be able to enjoy a plural offer.

It was 2008. A world ago. 15 years have passed and frankly, as I have repeatedly had the opportunity to say publicly, I am the first to think it is time to update that standard imagined and written in a very distant time from a technological, digital and media point of view. And in any case, as is clear to everyone, Italian football was by no means “killed” by that rule.

But perhaps De Laurentiis is against the idea of ​​a regulated and democratic football where the rules are not dictated by only the strongest and which continues to evolve (what a satisfaction the professional recognition of women’s football!).

I hope that when the joy of these days has stopped clouding his sense of proportion, he will begin to confront without insults and starting from the facts with women and men who think differently from him.

Giovanna Melandri