Luciano Buonfiglio, the head of the Italian Canoeing and Kayaking Federation (FICK), was elected the new president of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on Thursday.

    He succeeds Giovanni Malagò, who had been in charge of Italian sport's governing body since 2013.

    Buonfiglio prevailed in the first round of voting, when he got the support of 47 of the 81 delegates taking part.
    Luca Pancalli, the president of the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), came second with 34 votes.
    "It is not time for words, deeds are expected of us," Buonfiglio said.
    "We will elect a (new CONI) executive because there is a great change. Vote with your heads before your hearts".
    The 74-year-old is the first Olympian and the first Neapolitan to become CONI president.
    He competed for Italy in the K-4 1000 m event at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and he also took part in five canoe sprint world championships
   

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