Serie C side Ternana have announced their first-ever female president in Claudia Rizzo, much to the surprise of their fanbase. Rizzo, aged just 23, was appointed by her father, the owner of the club, Gianluigi Rizzo and now wants to bring 'passion and determination' to the role.
Ternana is not one of the big players in the world of Italian football, but it certainly has a rich history. The club managed to play in Serie A twice (1972/73 and 1974/75) and spent 28 seasons in Serie B
The current third division side has been coached in the past by names like Cesare Maldini and Luigi Delneri. Looking at the table, the team has ten points in Group B after six games and is in seventh place. However, it will now receive increased attention.
After the arrival of new owner Gianluigi Rizzo, there has been an unexpected change in the president's position - his daughter Claudia, only 23 years old, has taken over the role. She is the first female president in Ternana's history, and the public is anxiously waiting to see if this will be a classic family affair or if the young woman will show her abilities.
"We are going to put passion and determination into this, step by step," she said at a press conference. "I've always been a big fan of Ternana. During the negotiations, it was suggested to me to take over as president. It's a great responsibility but also an opportunity. I feel much more confident with experienced staff and I am confident that the club will move forward," she added.
The consultant alongside Rizzo would be former Sampdoria owner Massimo Ferrero, who had his fingers in the whole deal. The billionaire's daughter has already outlined her first plans in the role: "The first task is to build a strong bond with the team and the city. We will reintroduce an online subscription campaign. I'm experiencing a thousand emotions, but above all I see Ternana as an honour and a responsibility."
According to the Telegrafi, despite her young age, Rizzo is not the youngest president in Italian football, ranking third in that respect. The top spot belongs to Alessandro Ruggeri, who replaced his ailing father as Atalanta president in 2008 at the age of 21. Umberto Agnelli became Juventus boss in 1955 at the age of 22.
Rizzo has until now run the family's olive oil factory in Sicily and will have to learn to swim in the rough waters of the football world after the new one. News of her appointment hit social media in virtually a matter of hours, meaning that Ternana can benefit, at least temporarily, from new fans around the world.
