Racing in limbo as sport waits on funding news
Italy: Racing in Italy remains on hold as the sport awaits a government announcement on funding for the ailing industry.
Strike action has resulted in no racing taking place in Italy since New Year's Eve and parliament is still evaluating how best they can help racing and its future funding.
San Rossoreracetrack in Pisa has taken entries for its meeting scheduled for Thursday (February 9), but only in case the strike should suddenly be called off.
"We have taken entries for the races because if you don't have entries, you can't race if the strike suddenly ends," explained Mario Sivieri, general manager at San Rossore.
"When will the strike end? That's the million pound question. It could be tomorrow, it could be next week. Who knows?
"There have been many entries as they are free, but we just don't know whether there will be any racing."
The government is evaluating an amendment to the law on revenue received from slot machines which was put forward by the Budget and Finance Commission of the Camera Dei Deputati but the process is taking longer than anticipated.
It is nearly three weeks since the Budget and Constitutional Affairs Commission judged asadmissible an amendment to extend an Act of Parliament to allow the racing industry to benefit from the revenue generated by slot machines.
The Budget and Finance Commission is deciding whether to submit the request to the government, if they give the go-ahead, parliament will deliberate the amendment before a decision is made.
Elio Pautasso, director of HippoGroup which runs racing at Rome's Capannelle racetrack, said: "The situation is very serious and while there have been some positive signals, we do not have time to waste. A plan for restructuring the racing industry needs to be put in place."
Italy's Euro MPs are asking fellow MPs in the European Parliament for details of how the racing industry is funded in other EU countries.
Guido Melzi d'Eril, president of the Federation of Racecourses, has been asked by Paolo De Castro, minister for agriculture, to head up a team to look at regulatory reform of the racing and betting industries in Italy. He has been asked to report back in July.
Comments