Carlo Tavecchio speaks after being re-elected President of the FIGC, the Italian Soccer Federation, in Rome, Monday, March 6, 2017. (Et...
Carlo Tavecchio speaks after being re-elected President of the FIGC, the Italian Soccer Federation, in Rome, Monday, March 6, 2017. (Ettore Ferrari/ANSA via AP)
Carlo Tavecchio speaks after being re-elected President of the FIGC, the Italian Soccer Federation, in Rome, Monday, March 6, 2017. (Et...
Carlo Tavecchio speaks after being re-elected President of the FIGC, the Italian Soccer Federation, in Rome, Monday, March 6, 2017. (Ettore Ferrari/ANSA via AP)
Carlo Tavecchio speaks after being re-elected President of the FIGC, the Italian Soccer Federation, in Rome, Monday, March 6, 2017. (Et...
Carlo Tavecchio speaks after being re-elected President of the FIGC, the Italian Soccer Federation, in Rome, Monday, March 6, 2017. (Ettore Ferrari/ANSA via AP)
ROME (AP) — Carlo Tavecchio has been re-elected as president of the Italian football federation, beating Andrea Abodi in a close vote.
Tavecchio, who won with 54 percent at the end of the third round of voting, said on Monday "we now need to find the strength to re-unite."
The 73-year-old Tavecchio will now serve a four-year term, after succeeding Giancarlo Abete, who resigned following Italy's disastrous World Cup campaign in 2014.
Tavecchio has earned considerable support despite being banned by UEFA for six months following a racist comment during his election campaign in 2014.
He came out on top in all three rounds of voting but didn't have the three-quarters of votes needed to win in the first round, nor the two-thirds needed for the second.
