The FIDAL president puts the controversy to rest: “We’ll go back to working together; Marcell will be given the best possible conditions to win”

Rome woke up yesterday in the grip of a freezing cold snap. But not him. When we met him in the morning at his FIDAL office, Stefano Mei was cheerful and beaming. “I’ve just had a wonderful day.” He wasn’t referring so much to the closure of the legal proceedings brought against him by Pietro Mennea’s widow (“It’s all been dropped”) as to his renewed harmony with Marcell Jacobs.

President, what happened?

“We spoke on Wednesday evening, and there was an important clarification. I’m absolutely delighted. We’ll be able to go back to working together in a coordinated manner, doing everything possible to put Marcell in a position to achieve the results he deserves. I believe he has understood my absolute good faith; clearly, there are still decisions to be made, but these are decisions we can address if we can talk things through. In his case, there was a misunderstanding partly due to his significant decision to train in America. We had communication difficulties—after all, he’s on the other side of the ocean, so everything is more complex. Now let’s start over, with a fresh outlook.“

Tell the truth—how did it make you feel to read Jacobs’s bitter words about the Federation’s decision to demote him?

”Of course I was a little disappointed, partly because—perhaps due to the distance and the time difference—we weren’t even able to discuss a possible alternative solution. Let’s remember that, fortunately, the number of elite Italian athletes is growing, while the money we receive is more or less always the same. The budget is what it is; I have to manage everyone, and I try to do so as fairly as possible. On the sponsorship front, I’ve increased revenue from 400,000 euros in cash in 2021 to 3 million today—what more can I do? Keep in mind that since I arrived, I’ve also pushed for a thorough spending review of everything not directly related to preparing our national team: I knew that, even from a political standpoint, a lot was riding on my performance at the Tokyo Games. I’m not saying those five gold medals are my doing—because you can’t change the system in just a few months—but from the very beginning, I made it clear to the athletes that they could count on us. It’s no coincidence that the results keep coming.”

Getting back to Jacobs, no hard feelings?

“Absolutely not. The disappointment I was talking about lasted only a moment; I’m just not the type to hold a grudge against athletes. I was an athlete myself, and I know exactly how it feels when you feel like you’ve been let down, when things don’t go the way you’d like despite the sacrifices you make. Marcell’s coming off a tough year; it’s understandable that he’s a little upset, and I have no problem taking some of that frustration in stride. Now we’ll try to give him all the help we can, even though the situation isn’t easy, given his coach’s still-unclear position.”

In his case, there was a misunderstanding partly due to his significant decision to train in the U.S. We had communication difficulties

Stefano Mei

How are things between you now?

“As soon as he returns to Italy from the U.S., we’ll meet and work out together how to support him. One thing must be clear: if Jacobs wasn’t included among the elite athletes, it’s not because we wanted him to quit—perhaps to save money. I know this may seem like an unsolicited clarification, but I hear all sorts of things, so it’s better to be transparent. I believe in Marcell; he’s an invaluable asset to us, and we’ll stand by him just as much as—if not more than—before.”

So the focus is on Los Angeles 2028.

“I’m glad he’s set a long-term goal, but if I were him, I’d try to win the European Championships again first. Obviously, it’s not the Olympics, but it’s still another prestigious achievement for his medal collection—which, let’s not forget, isn’t made up solely of his two Olympic golds: Marcell has won a World Championship and an Indoor European Championship, two European Championships, and a World Championship silver in the 4×100, and he’s done all that even when he wasn’t feeling his best. In Paris, he ran 9.85 at age 29. He’s a top-notch athlete, and I agree with him when he says he’s not a 10.20 runner—he looked strong in the relay. If he can settle into the 9.80–9.90 range, he can still make a run for it in Los Angeles. I’ll say it again: I believe in him just as much as I believe in Tamberi. It’s extremely unlikely that both of them will win a medal, but if they put their minds to it, I’m certain they can achieve great things. And anyway, speaking of Jacobs and the Olympics, I’d like to say one more thing.”

I believe in him just as much as I believe in Tamberi. It’s very unlikely that they’ll both win a medal, but if they put their minds to it…

Stefano Mei

You’re welcome.

“On August 1, 2021, in Tokyo, I experienced the most beautiful moment of my life, after the birth of my children. I recently saw photos and videos of the celebrations—I really felt like Alice in Wonderland! I couldn’t believe it, and I don’t think any Italian could either. I can’t help but be grateful to a person—a great athlete—who was able to give me such joy. He’s one of the great legends of Italian track and field—in fact, I’d say of all of sports. I’ll never forget him.”

Listening to you, one often gets the impression that you believe track and field and FIDAL don’t receive the recognition they deserve?

“I do sometimes think that. I’ve been in track and field for fifty years, and I’ve never seen so much malice. From the very first day we took office, there have been attacks—even in the face of results we’ve never seen before. They even managed to complain about the three medals in Paris, despite the five fourth-place finishes and 17 finalists. They take it out on the young athletes, who really don’t deserve it. We’ve even won two European Cups… Who am I upset with? With certain members of the press—fortunately a minority—and with those who were leaders in the past and continue to defend a system that has failed.”

There’s also the issue of registered members.

“Some say there aren’t that many, but we can’t exactly go after the millions of enthusiasts who run in public parks… Other sports have it easier in this regard; if you need to register to access a private facility, it’s simpler. And I don’t even make people register three times if they want to do running, high jump, and long jump—other federations even take advantage of these, let’s say, opportunities. There’s another thing I want to mention, which in a way concerns someone I’m very close to: I’m truly perplexed by the fact that the Pietro Mennea Stadio dei Marmi is now practically destined for tennis. We’re talking about a facility dedicated to the greatest star in Italian track and field; I don’t understand why we’re heading in that direction. But today I don’t want to dwell on bitterness—it’s better to focus on the many positive things this new year has to offer. Starting with our future together with Marcell Jacobs.”