A conversation with the new President of the Italian Boxing Federation, Vittorio Lai
16 August 2017A conversation with the new President of the Italian Boxing Federation, Vittorio Lai
On 25 February 2017, at the Lyrick Theatre in Assisi, was held the Ordinary Assembly for the renewal of national offices of Italian Boxing Federation (FPI) for Olympic quadriennium 2017/2020. Vittorio Lai was elected the new President of the Italian Boxing Federation.
- From 4 until 13 August in Cascia (Perugia) was held the Eubc European Union Women’s Boxing Championships. For the Italian women’s movement how is it important to host these Championships?
“It is essential to increase international activity as possible thereby more experience possible in the ring. In this way our boxers will be increasingly competitive globally.
The Italian team occurred with 10 boxers and got 9 medals (1 gold, 2 silvers and 6 bronzes). Great result!”
- What is your program for this Olympic quadriennium 2017/2020 ?
“Our program, even if aimed at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, is also addressed to the improvement of the professional sector, today in Italy called “Pro”.
Our goal is to seek new strategies to improve every single aspect of boxing.
In April we obtained a first very positive result: we concluded the agreement with the national Tv broadcaster SportItalia.
In this way there will be television planning of boxing event relating to Italian titles Pro, most important events of Olympic boxing (Italian Championships, Golden glove and International Dual Match) and match WSB (World Series of Boxing).
Then we had a meeting with the organizers of boxing pro and very soon we will have one with sports agents: for me and my team is very important to dialogue with every single item for live and let live boxing in the best possible way.
Other news relating to the field of sports technicians: in minutes of boxing meeting are inserted the names of technicians who are on the corner of their boxers. That way you will have a historical memory of the work done by every “corner man” recognizing, then, greater qualification to work.
The development of various regional committees FPI is crucial: our program also foresees increasing training collegiates that individual Regional Committees will organize in their territories. In this way will decrease the cost of transfers and the money saved will be invested in other areas.
Another important result we obtained with the agreement already signed with the Department of Motor Sciences of the University of Perugia for the inclusion of boxing in subjects of combat sports in the next academic year 2018/2019. It will be available for the implementation of the project the Federal National Technical Center FPI”.
- How much is important the women’s sector?
“We strongly believe in women, in their sport and management capacity. We are proud to have advanced two proposals to the AIBA: Laura Tosti, FPI coach, was proposed to the AIBA to be part of the Technical Committee; while Mariangela Verna, Abruzzo/Molise FPI President, was proposed as a component to the AIBA women’s sector”.
- For Tokyo 2020 most probably the IOC will put two other weight categories for women’s boxing, going from three to five. What do you think about that?
“I welcome the opening of two more categories for the women. Our sector is composed of excellent athletes, both Elite that the youngest, representing both the present and the future, but at the same time I am opposed to the proposal to remove two male categories”.
- How are the dealing with the fight against doping?
“Our Federation is well defended against doping. We rely totally on the relevant national anti-doping measures. Boxers are subjected to frequent doping controls even in surprise. The rules are strict and we respect all “.
Vittorio Lai: his History
Vittorio Lai was born on 7 April 1944 in Seui (Ogliastra), in Sardinia. Since 50 years is present in the boxing world.
In 1970, for the first time, has been appointed Sporting Director of Regional Committee FPI Cagliari/Oristano; he was a member of the national technical Commission for 32 years and in 2014/2017 was elected Federal Councilor FPI by appointing Vice-President FPI. He is President of the Italian Boxing Federation; at the international level is part of the AIBA Athletes & Youth Commission and named the best ITO 2014″.
His motto is:
“I’m the President of doing. I will work with all regional committees FPI, associations and clubs. The dialogue and the desire to improve are two key elements to create a solid federal basis with the goal of making even bigger Italian boxing in the World”.
