Swimming, Barelli suspended for two years from the Fina Ethics College. “Defamatory accusation, I will appeal and win”

Having previously imposed a provisional suspension, the Independent Ethics College of the Fina (the International Swimming Federation) suspended for two Paolo Barelli, president of the Italian Federation swimming (Fin) And deputy of Forza Italia (group leader in the House in the past legislature). “The Fina ethics panel investigated multiple referrals of alleged wrongdoing from separate cases against Mr. Barelli, president of the Italian Swimming Federation (Fin), former member of the Fina Bureau and former president of the Ligue Européenne de Natation (Len). The allegations of wrongdoing – reads the Fina note – investigated by the Fina Ethics Group against Mr. Barelli included multiple violations of the rules of the Fina Constitution and the Fina Code of Ethics deriving from: unilateral signing of an addendum to a contract between Len and Fin, which would benefit the latter between 500,000 and 1,500,000 euros; the claim for expenses for a total of 495,587.22 euros by the Italian Olympic Committee, on behalf of the FIN, despite the fact that these are already were paid by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance. This was found by the appeal chamber of the Italian Court of Auditors for causing damage to assets ale. Following hearings and a broad consideration of the allegations, the Fina Ethics Panel unanimously decided to impose sanctions that prohibit Mr. Barelli from taking part in water-related activities under the aegis of Fina or its members. Mr. Barelli was banned for a period of two years starting on September 14, 2022, the date of the provisional suspension previously imposed “.

Barelli: “Absurd, I’ll resort and win”

The reply from the person concerned immediately arrived, suspended for two years starting from September 14, 2022. “I will appeal to the Sports Arbitration Court and I will win because I oppose an obviously not definitive sentence, without foundation, absurd, defamatory and with obvious repercussions on my activity in the sporting and political fields and consequently on the entire movement. I deny any wrongdoing. It all stems – we read in a note by the Italian member of Forces and number one in swimming – from the accusations made by the Coni to the Fin, of which I am president , in January 2014 with the subject of reimbursements for work on the swimming facilities of the Foro Italico. The proceedings initiated by Coni in criminal proceedings were fully and definitively closed in 2016 because no crimes were identified and because, as written by the judge, it was carried out a correct administrative activity by the federation. After the further complaint to the Court of Auditors by the Coni (Servizi), the same Co rte proceeded with the dismissal at first instance which was followed by a further appeal which produced a judgment on appeal which charges both parties with the payment to the tax authorities of the amounts due, both by the Fin through its chairman, and by the Coni Services. As the decision on appeal was deemed inappropriate, a request for revocation was presented to the same Court as early as August which led to the suspension of the second degree sentence on 18 October last, depriving it of its effects “.