Luciano Buonfiglio has been re-elected as President of the Italian Canoe Kayak Federation (FICK). 

Mr Buonfiglio, who is also Treasurer and Acting Vice President of the International Canoe Federation, has secured another four-year term at the helm of FICK following his landslide victory. 

The election was held at the Sala della Scherma of the Foro Italico, home of the Ordinary National Elective Assembly, on October 12. 

Mr Buonfiglio obtained 3,205 of the 4,453 votes cast to extend his stay as FICK President with a total of 71.97 per cent voting in his favour. 

Ottaviano Gueli was Mr Buonfiglio’s closest challenger with 25.87 per cent, while Daniele Scarpa received 1.10 per cent and Andrea Argiolas obtained 0.31 per cent. 

The Ordinary National Elective Assembly, chaired by Professor Massimo Proto, was attended by 96.26 per cent of those entitled to vote. 

"I thank the whole world of canoeing who participated with a very high turnout, almost the total, in this election,” said Mr Buonfiglio whose new term will run from 2025 until 2028. 

“It’s a symptom of a strong attachment to the federation and of the fact that there is passion, competence and desire to grow together.  

“The federation is an institution but also a company and at the same time a family and its most precious asset is the people who make it up.  

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“We have always paid attention to them, and we will continue to do so in the name of our mandate which sees sports clubs at the centre of all federal policies.  

“We are ready and proud to continue in our mission to win medals and at the same time to fulfill that social function, inclusion and promotion of the values of sport that has always distinguished us.  

“I am proud to lead this federation and I congratulate all the elected councilors, I thank the federal secretariat for their support over the years and I dedicate this success to my family and to all Italian canoeists." 

Mr Buonfiglio, a member of the National Council of the Italian National Olympic Committee, was elected for the first time as FICK President in 2005. 

The former Canoe Sprint paddler serves as Vice President of the ICF on an interim basis.  

He is carrying out the position alongside his deposition as Treasurer – a role which he has held since 2009. 

Italy has enjoyed a successful year on the water, winning one gold and one silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics. 

Giovanni De Gennaro clinched men’s kayak single gold in Canoe Slalom before Gabriele Casadei and Carlo Tacchini earned men’s canoe double 500m silver in Canoe Sprint. 

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