A bronze 1934 World Cup medal presented by the Italian Football Association to the sports administrator Dr. Mario Saini, the obverse signed by the art

A bronze 1934 World Cup medal presented by the Italian Football Association to the sports administrator Dr. Mario Saini, the obverse signed by the artist D.MANETTI and cast with three footballers in raised relief, the reverse inscribed CAMPIONATO MONDIALE DI CALCIO, F.I.F.A. F.I.G.C., ITALIO, MAGGIO-GIUGNO 1934 XII Mario Saini was born at Ivrea in 1905 and graduated in law from the University of Turin. A confirmed sportsman and former footballer, he began his sports management career in university sport. He was in succession President of the Regional Committee (Piedmont) of the FIDAL (athletics) in 1926; Council member of the Italian Swimming Federation; one of the founders of the Italian Rugby Federation; a delegate of the Italian Olympic Organisation; President of the Organising Committee of the World University Championships in 1932; Organiser of the very first European Athletics Championships in 1934; Secretary General of the FIDAL 1939-1949; Assistant Secretary General of the Italian Olympic Committee including for the Rome 1960 Games, and promoted to Secretary General in 1963; at the same time he was appointed Special Commissioner of the Swimming Federation. In 1972 his health decline and he was forced to give up practically all activity. He did, however, accept an invitation to be the Chef de Mission of the Italian team at the 1972 Munich Olympics. This was to be his last official commission. Although Dr Saini was not formally a part of the 1934 World Cup organising committee - he was organising the European Athletics Championships in that year - the presentation of this medal must be proof that the Italian F.A. leant on his experience in sports administration during the preparations.