Servility, flattery, and tragicomic submission toward those perceived as richer and more powerful are deeply rooted evils that have long permeated and poisoned our national culture, ever since these attitudes were ironically denounced in the films of the hugely popular Fantozzi saga. Little has changed since then, and the Liguria Regional Committee of the Italian Boxing Federation (FPI) recently provided yet another glaring example with its servile homage to the Berlusconi family.
The fact that Lorenzo Berlusconi, the 15-year-old son of Mediaset CEO Pier Silvio Berlusconi, is taking his first steps in amateur boxing is news that most of you have likely already heard, given the media hype it has generated—even on major news outlets.
Just yesterday, I happened to come across a post published on social media by Sport Mediaset about Lorenzo’s winning debut in official FPI competitions, and I must admit that the wording brought more than a smile to my face. The rather bombastic headline read: “Lorenzo Berlusconi wins on his debut in big-time boxing.” In the text, the boy is even described as “a prospect of Italian boxing.”
While such an adulating press release from a corporate account toward the son of its own CEO can at most provoke some amusement—and certainly not outrage or scandal—it was far less entertaining to notice even more brazen and pompous tones in a post published by the official Instagram account of FPI Liguria.
Referring to the bout in question, the federation body wrote the following:
A winning debut and a great performance for Lorenzo Berlusconi, son of Pier Silvio. The ASD Clan Area athlete recorded a high-quality debut in FPI boxing, prevailing in the Under 17 – 55 kg category at the age of 15. After an initial formative path developed in the Kombat Tour Italia bouts, Lorenzo chose to seriously and committedly undertake the transition to Olympic boxing, entering the Italian Boxing Federation circuit and immediately demonstrating good technical and mental qualities.
The post is accompanied by an image of young Lorenzo alongside his father and a short clip of the bout, in which the boy can in fact be seen becoming rather awkwardly off-balance and uncoordinated during an attacking phase.
It is not our intention to belittle or denigrate a fifteen-year-old athlete, who has every right to pursue his path in the difficult world of the Noble Art and to enjoy his own moments of satisfaction. On the contrary, we wish him progress and hope that this wonderful sport will provide him with life experiences, lessons, and tools for personal growth, in addition to the victories he may come to deserve. The same wish we naturally extend to anyone who decides to climb those fateful steps leading to the ring.
However, we believe that our Federation, in all its components, should present itself as impartial, so that no one can even have the impression that preferential lanes exist or that certain boxers are predestined for success.
How many young fighters with qualities, talent, and technical skills equal or superior to Lorenzo’s have made their debut without receiving even half a word of praise or exaltation from FPI’s communication channels? Thousands upon thousands, of course. So what message emerges from those excessively deferential lines we have quoted?
The message is that of the well-known Neapolitan proverb “A chi figli e a chi figliastri” (“Some are treated as sons, others as stepchildren”). And some of the questions that naturally arise at this point are: “Will the judges who officiate the boy’s bouts be serene and impartial?” “Will he be favored over more deserving fighters in selections for the national teams?”
We obviously hope that all those with decision-making responsibilities will not be influenced by the athlete’s surname, and that the FPI Liguria statement will remain on record as nothing more than an inappropriate initiative by an overzealous official. But, as Quintilian wrote, “Neque enim satis est esse bonum, nisi etiam videare” (“It is not enough to be good, if you do not also appear so”). And precisely in terms of appearances, FPI Liguria has dealt a heavy blow to its own credibility.
Mediaset is a true giant in our country’s media landscape, and it is perfectly natural for those involved in boxing to strongly hope that our competitions, our champions, and our gyms will find space and visibility on its channels. Let us never forget, however, that for a product to succeed, in addition to being promoted, it must be authentic and of genuine quality. Otherwise, “The most servile best wishes for a distinguished Christmas and a respectable New Year” will not be enough to lift us out of our Fantozzi-like condition.