18k gold & enamel medal awarded to Ottorino Barassi on the occasion of Bologna FC's Divisione

18k gold & enamel medal awarded to Ottorino Barassi on the occasion of Bologna FC's Divisione Nazionale title in 1928-29, the obverse with Olympic Rings and fasces symbol, inscribed FEDERAZIONE ITALIANA GIUOCO CALCIO, the reverse named OTTORINO BARASSI and inscribed 10 AGOSTO 1926 A.IV, 22 GIUGNO 2929, BOLOGNA, diameter 28mm., weight 10gr. Provenance: by family descent The following lots 428 to 460 were awarded to Italian Sports Official Ottorino Barassi. Lots 428 to 460 Ottorino Barassi (1898-1971) Italian football and sports official. Just before the 1966 World Cup in England the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen whilst on display at the Stampex Exhibition in London’s Westminster Central Hall. Very famously, it was found abandoned in shrubbery by a dog called “Pickles” and after the Final Tie HM The Queen was able to present the World Cup trophy to England’s winning captain Bobby Moore. However, this was not the first time the trophy’s survival was at severe risk. During the Second World War, and with Italy as reigning champions, the Jules Rimet Trophy was in a bank vault in Rome. The city was occupied by the Nazis and the Secretary of the FIGC (Italian F.A.), Ottorino Barassi, had the foresight to hide the Rimet in a shoebox under his bed - fearing that if found the solid 18k trophy would have been requisitioned and destined for the melting pot. His house was indeed searched by the Nazis but they did not discover the hiding place. After that episode, Barassi sent the Cup to Foggia, to some relatives, who managed to keep it hidden until the end of hostilities. It was then returned to FIFA for the 1950 World Cup Tournament, where Barassi himself was called to collaborate with the local organisation committee. After the 1970 World Cup, however, the historic trophy had used all its luck. It was stolen again in Brazil, has never been recovered to this day, and is presumed to have been melted down for bullion. Ottorino Barassi had first come to the attention of the football world in 1934 with a highly prominent position organising the World Cup tournament held in his homeland of Italy. Before this Barassi had trained as an electronics engineer and it was while studying this in Cremona that his life-long passion for football was ignited. Having played, he then refereed at regional level before becoming the football correspondent for “La Provincia di Cremona.” Hence forth he entered sports administration. In 1925 he was elected Vice-President of the AIA (Italian Referees’ Association), from 1930 to 1932 he was President of the Italian Rugby Federation, and the following year he joined the FIGC (Italian F.A.) appointed by General Giorgio Vaccaro for the role of Secretary of the Federal Directory, specifically with the task of managing the organisation of the 1934 World Cup.   As a prominent official of the FIGC he initiated a series of reforms (“Lodo Barassi") to streamline and bring about a properly organised structure to the Italian football pyramid at all levels and in all regions of Italy. After the fall of the Regime and the reconstitution of democratic institutions, even sport, despite a war still ongoing in the country, began to organise its activity again. On 4 December 1944 Giulio Onesti, President of CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee) appointed Ottorino Barassi as Regent of the FIGC; and on 15th May 1946 the Assembly elected Barassi as Presidente  - a position he was to hold for 12 years. Barassi was also very active at international level and in 1952 he became a member of the FIFA Executive Committee. From that moment he began working to establish a European football governing body. On the initiative of the Italian, French and Belgian federations, UEFA was founded on 15 June 1954 in Basel with 25 national federations becoming affiliated. The Organisation set up its headquarters in Paris where it would remain until 1959, then moving to Bern. Barassi was also responsible for the new headquarters of the FIGC in Rome in Via Gregorio Allegri. After demolishing a residential villa, in 1952 work began on the construction of the six-storey building which, four years later, would be inaugurated. It has always been the case in sport that it is a results-driven business. Despite his tremendous contribution to Italian football and sport, Barassi paid a heavy personal price when the Italian national team was beaten 2-1 by Northern Ireland in Belfast on 15th January 1958. This result meant that Italy failed to qualify for the 1958 World Cup Finals in Sweden. Barassi, however, did not quit the game in Italy and decided to return to football by running for President of the newly formed National Amateur League. He was elected and remained in the role until his death in 1971. The Barassi Cup, an Anglo-Italian amateur football tournament (1968 – 1976) was to bear his name. He also developed amateur tournaments at Regional and Junior levels. In 2011 Ottorino Barassi was posthumously inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame. Ottorino Barassi's granddaughter, his only living relative, remarks "In regards to him football was his life. His inclusion in the Hall of Fame is richly deserved for dedication, especially as his early career was in challenging circumstances during the Fascismo reign and the Second World War. Although he officiated at the highest levels of the sport with FIFA and FIGC, he never lost his passion for football at its grass roots. I know he was immensely proud of the work he did in Italy at amateur, youth and regional levels of the game. Completely impartial to all, he always did what he thought was best for football."