Neapolitan Luciano Buonfiglio new president of Coni

Roma – Luciano Buonfiglio is the new president of CONI for the four-year period 2025-2028. The former president of the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation (FICK) was elected with 47 votes during the 309th National Council, beating his rival Luca Pancalli, who stopped at 34 preferences.

Born in Naples, Buonfiglio took his first steps in sport at Posillipo Nautical Club, where he learned to swim and sail. At 15, his move to Milan marked the beginning of his adventure in canoeing, a discipline that would lead him to wear the blue jersey, to compete in the national teams and to participate in the 1976 Montreal Olympics with the Fiamme Oro Sports Group.

A career between sport and finance

Alongside his competitive activity, Buonfiglio has built a solid career in the insurance and banking sectors, holding top roles such as Corporate Central Director in RAS/Allianz.

Managerial skills that he then successfully transferred to the world of sport, covering every possible role: from athlete to technician, from advisor to vice president, up to the leadership of the Italian Canoe Kayak Federation.

The Rebirth of FICK and the Golden Collar

When he became president of FICK in 2013, the federation had just 5.500 members and a red balance. Today, under his management, the members exceed 20.000, the balance is in the black, a federal center financed by the PNRR has been created and the Italian team boasts numerous Olympic champions. A commitment that earned him, on December 22, 2023, the Collare d'Oro al Merito Sportivo.

His international experience includes the role of Vice President of the International Canoe Federation, while in Italy he was Vice President of CONI during the first term of Giovanni Malago and representative of the Olympic Committee at the Paralympic Games in Sochi.

Now, at the helm of the CONI, Buonfiglio is preparing to lead Italian sport towards new challenges, starting with Milan-Cortina 2026, with the aim of consolidating the national Olympic and Paralympic movement.