Italy's Soccer Association Fined €4.2M for Dominating Youth Competitions

Italy's antitrust authority fined the national soccer association (FIGC) €4.2 million for abusing its dominant position in managing youth competitions. FIGC denied any wrongdoing and is appealing the decision. The investigation, originating from a row over a 2021-22 tournament in Campania, revealed a strategy to control youth football tournaments.

Italy's antitrust authority has fined the national soccer association (FIGC) 4.2 million euros ($4.52 million) for what it said on Monday was abuse of the association's dominant position in the management of youth competitions. The FIGC had excluded other sporting groups and limited their role in organising soccer matches for under-17s, at least since July 2015, the watchdog said in statement.

In a statement, FIGC denied any wrongdoing and said it was appealing before an administrative court, with a request for the fine to be suspended. It accused the antitrust authority of using "faulty legal reasoning" to reach its conclusion. The regulator had opened a probe into the FIGC last year. The matter originated after a row over a tournament in the southern region of Campania in the 2021-22 season.

The authority said on Monday that FIGC had set out a "complex strategy of exclusion" to strengthen its hold on professional youth football tournaments and to extend it to amateur-level competitions. ($1 = 0.9290 euros)