Italian prosecutors dropped a sexual harassment case against a former head of the country’s football federation in part because they thought the woman who made the complaint was old enough not to be intimidated, it can be revealed. A report by prosecutors in Rome, compiled earlier this year and obtained by the Guardian, said the allegations of harassment and groping against Carlo Tavecchio were likely to be accurate, but that the case was not pursued because it had been reported too late to authorities. However, the prosecutors outlined further reasons for their decision not to pursue the allegations against Tavecchio, made by Elisabetta Cortani, the president of the Lazio Women’s football club, who was 50 at the time. The report said that Cortani’s age and the fact she had dealt with Tavecchio in the past, meant she would not have been in a state of fear or subjugation.

Tavecchio’s controversial tenure as head of Italy’s football federation ended in November. He resigned after the men’s national team – four-time winners of the World Cup – failed to qualify for this year’s tournament. Tavecchio had also been frequently criticised for a series of racist remarks. According to the prosecutors’ report, Cortani’s complaint, filed on 24 November 2017, was based on two incidents reported to authorities.. Tavecchio has denied that the incidents occurred.(theguardian)…[+]