ROME – Government allocated funds for the Ryder Cup for golf, set to be held in the Italian capital 2022, have been once again knocked back in parliament, much to the disappointment of Giovanni Malago, president of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), and Franco Chimenti, president of the Italian Golf Federation.

 The proposal was once again put forward, and yet again it went badly. The Chamber Commission of the Budget declared four amendments to be inadmissible, presented by the government to the Taxation Decree linked to the operation. Among these was the 97 million euros allocated by Matteo Renzi, Italian prime minister, for the golfing Ryder Cup set to be held in the Eternal City.

 The same measure had been included in the Budget Law in late October and was written off by Francesco Boccia, deputy of the Democratic party. The Pugliese parliament explained last week, “It is ‘incompatible’ within the settings of the new regulations.”

 Following the reform, which provides new criteria for the Stability Law, it is no longer possible to insert local, sectorial or neutral measures from the point of view of the economic impact.  According to Boccia, the Ryder Cup was absolutely a sectorial measure and so has been cancelled.

 Alarm bells are ringing in the golfing world, as institutions provide their reassurance. For CONI president, Giovanni Malago, and president of the Italian Golfing Federation, Franco Chimenti, the set back was initially seen as just a mere technicality, believing the money would still be available eventually.

 In recent days however, a codicil has been found hidden inside the cauldron of funds intended for ‘Youth and Sport’ -- a small note of just four lines which provides 59.4 million euros from 2017 to 2027 for the development of the Ryder Cup.

 This time round, the talks are of real money, not potential. Yet this is clearly still not enough, otherwise there would be inexplicable pressure across the board in government, which have just reviewed the state aid by nearly 100 million for the competition, taking place in the circle tried and tested by the Biagiotti family. 

 Hence, the guarantee of 97 million euros came out of the door (of the Stability Law) and re-entered through the window (of the Tax Decree).

 Francesco Boccia said of the situation, “Rules are rules for everyone. It should be once again reiterated that what the Budget Committee of the Chamber has said is not a judgement of merits. The funding of the initiative in the law of the Budget was there because it was the correct destination. The warranty, as it was proposed, was wrong for the Budget, just as it was wrong for the Taxation Decree. The rules are always the same, all it takes is to study them and respect them.”

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