Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina says he feels betrayed by former Azzurri coach Roberto Mancini. Gravina was speaking as a guest on Tv2000 and revealed he still has issues with the way Mancini left Italy to take up the Saudi national team role:
“In the world of sport, moral issues are fundamental. We always talk about values, we try to testify to young people how fundamental image is, cultivating passion yes, but with respect for the great values of sport.”
“The 2030 World Cup bid with Saudi Arabia and Egypt? We rejected the proposal with conviction, even though we were aware of the great possibility of success of that combination with Egypt. We did so, for reasons of international problems, linked to the Regeni case, and because we did not share certain values. One cannot pretend that nothing is happening all the time.”
“Mancini? Not on a sporting level, but on a human level, the choice of Mancini was a disappointment. I felt betrayed in a pure feeling towards Roberto, whom I have always considered a friend. Beyond the interests of his technical choice for me it was a wound that I find hard to heal from.”
