Italy with a “Sword” in Hand: Diana Bianchedi Named the National Team’s New Head of Delegation

Diana Bianchedi has been appointed the new head of delegation of the Italian men’s national football team. The surprise announcement was made by Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malagò.

The former fencing champion will fill the position left vacant by Gianluigi Buffon, joining Italy’s newly reorganized leadership team. Roberto Mancini serves as head coach, while Claudio Ranieri and Gianfranco Zola also hold important roles.

Bianchedi’s appointment is considered part of a broader project to reorganize and revive Italian football.

Who Is Diana Bianchedi?

Diana Bianchedi was born in Milan in 1969 and is one of the most prominent figures in Italian fencing—a combat sport in which athletes compete using specially designed swords.

She specialized in foil and enjoyed an extraordinary sporting career.

Her impressive list of achievements includes:

Two Olympic team gold medals, won at Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000. Five team gold medals at the World Championships between 1991 and 2001. Two individual bronze medals at the 1995 and 1997 World Championships. A silver medal at the 1995 European Championships. A fifth-place finish in the individual event at the Sydney Olympic Games.

Alongside her remarkable sporting achievements, Bianchedi graduated in Medicine and Surgery and specialized in sports medicine. She also completed advanced studies in sports administration and management.

After retiring from competition, she dedicated herself fully to sports administration. In 2001, she joined the leadership structures of the Italian National Olympic Committee. In 2025, she was elected CONI’s senior vice president.

Bianchedi also held the important position of Chief Strategy Planning and Legacy Officer on the organizing committee of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

She will serve as head of delegation of the Italian national team while continuing in her role as CONI’s senior vice president.

A “Cultural Revolution” for Italian Football

FIGC president Giovanni Malagò described Bianchedi’s appointment as a response to the wishes of Italian supporters, who no longer want football to be perceived as a world separated from the rest of sport.

According to Malagò, Diana Bianchedi enjoys international prestige and credibility thanks to her achievements as a two-time Olympic champion, her academic background and her extensive experience as a sports executive.

Her appointment is intended to place football at the center of a broader dialogue with the entire Italian sporting movement.

What Will Her Responsibilities Be?

According to the FIGC’s official definition, the head of delegation of a national team represents the federation’s president and the FIGC at all official events.

Diana Bianchedi’s main responsibilities will be:

To communicate the rules of conduct to the players and staff and ensure that they respect the principles and values established in the Federation’s statutes. To support the coaches and delegation in the overall management of activities not directly related to technical matters. To promote the identity, history and values of the famous Azzurri shirt. To represent Italian football at the institutional level during international trips and official engagements. To build a bridge between football and the entire Italian Olympic movement. To support the leadership and head coach Roberto Mancini in the national team’s long-term planning for future European Championships and World Cups.

Her appointment marks a historic moment and an important cultural change in Italian football. Her experience as an Olympic champion, doctor and sports executive is expected to help Diana Bianchedi play a key role in restoring the prestige and identity of the Italian national team.