Taranto risks disappearing from the football map

These are tough times for a new Taranto team's registration in the Apulian Eccellenza championship. Nothing is yet finalized, and the road to the long-awaited call for expressions of interest doesn't appear to be as smooth as fans and Mayor Bitetti had imagined.

Yesterday, the FIGC Federal Council met to discuss the two applications for admission to the regional Eccellenza championship, pursuant to Article 52, paragraph 10 of the NOIF (Italian Football Federation), by the new clubs Lucchese Calcio and Ars et Labor Ferrara. Taranto's footballing future was not specifically discussed (the topic was not on the agenda), but the Council itself decided, upon request, to place the current Taranto FC 1927 in the Second Category championship, subject to the payment of €600,000 of outstanding sporting debts.

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina attempted to clarify the matter at a press conference: "I'm opening and closing a parenthesis because of the affection that binds me to the city of Taranto," he said. "The Federal Council, as required by law, has decided to place Taranto FC, which has over €600,000 in sports debt and is in the hands of a bankruptcy trustee, in the Second Category, but on the condition that all of its sports debt is covered. It's appropriate to ask," Gravina added, "whether a city like Taranto, which will host the 2026 Mediterranean Games and will have a new stadium resulting from massive investments, can truly remain without football. We await any requests the Federation may receive from interested parties."

This last statement suggests that nothing is compromised yet, that there's still a glimmer of hope for a restart under new ownership, even though the FIGC is now in the hands of its bankruptcy trustee, accountant Cosimo Valentini. Will the trusteeship (which has powers until September 25th) be wise to continue with the provisional administration, knowing that no one would enter the team in the Second Category tournament for €600,000? This is a delicate phase, but no more precious time can be wasted (registration for the Excellence tournament expired on July 24th), because the risk is that Taranto will be left without football, which would be a truly incredible mockery after the team's humiliating exit from the professional scene.

The delay is significant, and Mayor Bitetti must also step up, pushing as hard as possible with the FIGC to ensure a worthy future for the Rossoblu. With or without a tender, given that in such situations, perhaps even a direct award of the new sporting title could be considered, provided there is a credible investor with a solid, ambitious, and long-term project (at least a five-year business plan). And there are apparently some interested parties, and not just local ones; names circulating include Ferrara (referring to the Gabetti group) and Camillo D'Ippolito (a Taranto-based metalworking entrepreneur). In short, a solution must be found immediately without buck-passing, because Taranto and the city have the right to restart at least from the Eccellenza championship.