"Destination Rio", Malagò and Mornati present programs for the 2016 Olympic Games

Destination Rio 2016. A picture of the Olympic aims 648 days from the XXXI edition of the Summer Games, the testimony of the efforts made by the Olympic Committee to concretely support the athletes and the federations in the march towards the event that will be held in Brazil from 5 to 21 August 2016. In Casa delle Armi the President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò, and Deputy Secretary and Head of the Sport and the Olympic Training, Carlo Mornati, in the presence of the Secretary General, Roberto Fabbricini, explained the initiatives, the resolutions and the synergies to be put in place to give centrality to Italian sporting activity and major sports figures. Forty-one Italian athletes, including five Olympic athletes, medalists and belonging to Olympic clubs, as well as a significant representation of Federal Presidents and Secretaries, Scrutineers, the leaders of CONI Servizi, President and Chief Executive Officer Franco Chimenti, Alberto Miglietta and several members of the Board.

President Malagò issued the challenge, without forgetting the critical issues. "Winning a medal today is more difficult than four or eight years ago, but that should not be an excuse: if all goes well, we'll take the credit, but if it goes wrong, we'll take our responsibilities. However, I am optimistic. The support team is very good, there is a nice atmosphere, a modern and innovative business management, and there are many fields in which we can hit targets like getting to the finals. This is life, this is sport. We will not make excuses if we were to win 15 medals, but there are considerations that make me feel optimistic. I think that we are very competitive in many disciplines and I want to emphasize that thanks to cost containment and spending review measures we saved more than €2.9 million, a bonus that will be immediately distributed to the Federations, but only for Olympic or high-level activities management. We must make a virtue of necessity and invent something different. We Italians have imagination, and from this point of view it is obvious that we suffer more in terms of financial gigantism. We need to enhance our technical centers and synergies through Olympic training centers. The main thing is to have a clear conscience: our credibility amongst the institutions is the fruit of the excellent work carried out to date. We have less than two years before Rio Olympic Games, and many other games will be held in the coming months with qualifications for various sports."

Deputy Secretary Carlo Mornati, as head of the Olympic Preparation, provided details of the measures taken with a view to Rio 2016. "This project aims to create a sort of hub to let all the components effectively interact on their road towards the Games. There are three support areas to be monitored: first, the financial area, then the technical-scientific area, and last but not least, the healthcare area. In the past year the Federations have been provided with €137.4 million for the Olympic and High-Level Training activities, in addition to €4.2 million in grants related to the Olympic Club and €3.25 million for Military Sports Groups: it is also important to remind the costs, amounting to approximately €13 million, and the investments of over €2 million for the Olympic Training Centers in Rome, Formia and Tirrenia. These figures show the commitment of the Olympic Committee, which extends to scientific and technical support thanks to an evaluation of physical skills through strength, endurance and biomechanics tests, not to mention the optimization of equipment and or racing vehicles thanks to the synergies adopted in order to develop high technological specialization.

We will also offer support to Italia club, because we believe that permanent meetings are vitally strategic. Lastly, the healthcare support: the Institute of Medicine is constantly available to athletes, and in a few weeks, it will be possible to have an MRI scan directly in the premises. There will eventually be a new concept of the Olympic Club: the 86% of London Olympic Games medalists was part of it, last year it was made up of 104 athletes, and this year the number increased to 121, 71 of which are newcomers. The "Olympic Promises" category, aimed at those athletes who are considered by the Olympic Committee, in consultation with the Federation, of particular interest for the future, will be established. Mornati then distributed to the 41 Italian athletes present the "Athletes' Card", another new feature: it will allow members of the Olympic club to freely use all of the facilities made available by the Olympic Committee in Parco del Foro Italico and the Institute of Medicine and Sports Science and also to take advantage of conventions - even personalized - with commercial partners.

Here are the names of the 41 Italian athletes present at Casa delle Armi:

Carlo Molfetta (Taekwondo), Marco Galiazzo, Michele Frangilli e Mauro Nespoli (Archery), Daniele Lupo e Paolo Nicolai (Beach Volley), Rossella Fiamingo, Enrico Garozzo, Irene Vecchi, Lucrezia Sinigaglia, Ilaria Bianco, Rossella Gregorio, Mara Navarria, Giorgio Avola e Francesca Quondamcarlo (Fencing), Stefania Pirozzi, Gabriele Detti, Federico Turrini, Chiara Masini Luccetti, Erika Ferraioli, Aurora Ponselè, Giada Galizzi (Swimming), Romano Battisti, Francesco Fossi, Pietro Ruta e Andrea Micheletti (Rowing), Vincenzo Mangiacapre, Valentino Manfredonia, Guido Vianello (Boxing), Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cycling), Antonino Barillà e Daniele di Spigno (Shooting), Francesca Clapcich, Vittorio Bissaro e Silvia Sicouri (Sailing), Marta Pagnini, Andrea Stefanescu, Camilla Patriarca, Alessia Maurelli, Sofia Lodi, Arianna Facchinetti (Gymnastics Rhytmic).

National Board e National Council meeting take place on October 28

The 1028nd meeting of the National Board of CONI will be held on 28 October 2014, in Rome at the Foro Italico, starting at 10 a.m. 

This is the agenda:

1) Minutes from 16 September 2014

2) Notifications from the President

3) 236° National Council of CONI

4) Olympic and High Level Activities

5) National Sports Federation Activities - Associated Sport Disciplines - Sports Promotion Bodies - Anti-Doping Activities

6) Territorial Organisations

7) CONI-Coni Servizi Spa Relations

8) Administrative Affairs

9) Miscellaneous and proposals of National Board members.

The 236nd National Council of CONI will be held on 28 October at 2.30 p.m. at the Foro Italico.

This is the agenda:

1) Approval of the minutes of the meeting of 15 July 2014

2) Notifications from the President

3) F.S.N.(National Sports Federation)-D.S.A.(Associated Sport Disciplines)-E.P.S. (Sports Promotion Bodies) Activities

4) Territorial Organisations

5) CONI Financial and Administrative Affairs

6) Miscellaneous

Meeting of sport ministers, Malagò’s intervention. “Fair play to be strengthened”.

CONI President Giovanni Malagò has intervened this morning at the Farnesina Palace in a debate about fair play at competitive and financial level taking place during an informal meeting between European sport ministers, organized in occasion of the Italian Presidency semester of the European Union Council.

Malagò has discussed about the importance of the issue with EUFA President Michel Platini attending. “Financial fair play should be strengthened at an European level, because this is an effort for justice and equality. Europe has shown in the course of the decades to be able to overcome a lot of obstacles and to be able to obtain great success, this can and must be done. A marathon is not a marathon if doping is involved, a football match is not a match if fraud is involved. Sport is an instrument of social inclusion and of education. Introducing young people to physical activity and to sport culture provides not only good health but communicates knowledge and abilities. Sport world is made of moral and ethical values and our task is to do all that is possible so that people can follow these values. A new era must start so that the heritage of great events, as well as the benefits for the country and its citizens who are hosting them, would not be just a variable but a certainty. There is no time left to waste resources and to put pressure on our local communities. At the core there must be economic sustainability. This is a mantra that I always repeat. As CONI President, I cannot help urging partnerships with private parties.”

The works of the informal meeting started yesterday with a debate on sport education, cohesion and integration, and how at an European level it is possible to maximize the effects of sport against social exclusion. Italy was represented by Graziano Del Rio, under-secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office with mandate for sport. Amongst those attending, also Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissary for Education, Multilinguism, Culture, Sport and Youth.

The Olympic Management course has begun. Malagò: “A new imprinting to Italian sport”

The high specialization Course on Olympic Management, organized by CONI School of Sport, has begun today at the Acqua Acetosa. The first didactic module out of 12 expected in this program, has opened with the greetings by Italian Olympic Committee Giovanni Malagò, followed by Coni Servizi President Franco Chimenti and Managing Director Alberto Miglietta. In the introduction, prepared by School of Sport Director Rossana Ciuffetti, the aims of the education project have been presented “thanks to a highly qualified group of teachers, made up of charismatic directors and operators, who will have to open the future to well prepared people like you, who are graduates and sport lovers.”

President Malagò has then greeted enthusiastically the first participants to the Course on Olympic Management: “I am very glad we can start with this initiative, I agreed with its aims and contents as soon as Rossana Ciuffetti presented it to me. It is a very detailed project, which gives an imprinting to the new CONI for the aims intended to be obtained. I wish many young people, who are students today, will be able one day to be part of our world after an internship stage, within the limits given by the spending review. Sport offers important opportunities and we have the moral duty to allow those who are attending this course to catch certain occasions. I am thinking about the law on stadiums: building a facility for 52,000 seats would open an employment niche for more than 200 people. Certainly we cannot improvise anymore and this is the right path in order to plan a different future.” A special greeting has been given by Malagò to the ‘student’ Alessio Boggiatto, former swimmer and mixed 400 m world champion. “He is a model: he has studied and become a champion, now he is trying this path with the same courage and passion as ever.”

Coni Servizi Managing Director Miglietta has lastly sent an encouragement to those participating: “This course represents the highest expression of ability and professionalism: the network of relationships is an added value, this is initiative of great relevance, which we believe a lot in in order to develop professionals requested to guarantee the continuity and the excellence of the sport movement.” The day has then gone on with a lectio magistralis by Manuela Di Centa on “The Olympic Movement”. The participants to the course has then attended a lesson on “Statutes and regulations” by Antonello De Tullio and one on “Assistance to Project Work” by Angelo Altieri. CONI directors have also attended the first lesson of the course.

Baku 2015 European Games finalises Basketball 3x3 line-up

Baku 2015 European Games can today confirm the 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams that will compete at next year’s inaugural event.

As host nation, Azerbaijan will be represented in both competitions, while Ireland’s women’s team have made history by securing their country’s first ever qualification for a major multi-sport event in Basketball.

In ranked order, the men’s competition will be contested by Romania, Slovenia, Lithuania, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Spain, Estonia, Israel, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy and Andorra.

And also in ranked order, the women’s competition will see Russia, Slovenia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Romania, Turkey, Switzerland, Ukraine, Spain, Ireland, Czech Republic, Israel, Greece, Slovakia and Azerbaijan going for gold.

Mr Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015, said: “As we continue to count down the days until the beginning of the inaugural European Games, it is an exciting moment to be able to confirm participating nations and teams for the sports.

“I would like to congratulate all of the athletes who have now guaranteed their country’s participation in Basketball 3x3 at Baku 2015, and we look forward to welcoming them to the Games next year.”

The Basketball 3x3 tournaments will take place over four days of competition at the temporary Basketball Arena, which will have capacity seating for 2,000 spectators.

The game is played on a half-court between two teams and is estimated to be enjoyed by more than 250 million players worldwide.

Mr Pierce O’Callaghan, Director of Sport at Baku 2015, said: “As one of the new and innovative sports included in our programme, there will be a huge amount of interest in Basketball 3x3 and competition will be intense for the right to be called the first ever European Games champions.

“The sport is one of the fastest growing in the world, so we expect crowds to be thrilled by the action when the European Games gets underway.”

Conference "Investment in sport, counter-cyclical investment", the importance of exercise

Investing in sport in order to promote development and well-being. A clear message, given from the business point of view and highlighted by the converging institutional intentions. The unavoidable basis for change drives the country, with courage and initiative, focusing on exercise: it is the common denominator emerging from the conference "Investment in sport, counter-cyclical investment." The round table hosted in CONI's Hall of Honour and moderated by the Director of Sky Tg 24, Sarah Varetto, saw Chairman Giovanni Malagò do the honours in the presence of the Under-secretary of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with delegation for Sport, Graziano Delrio, from the Ministry of Health, Beatrice Lorenzin, the President of CONI Sicily, Sergio D'Antoni, with the participation of the President of the Court of Auditors, Raffaele Squitieri, the President of Technogym, Nerio Alessandri, business economist Marco Vitale, and the Head of New Media and Ferrero sponsorship, Massimo Castiglia.

The lively debate, conducted in two phases, was opened by Marco Vitale, who stressed that "culture, health and sports are three areas where investments do not give immediate results. Hence the mentality that sees these activities only as costs when they are actually factors of well-being". Nerio Alessandri stressed that "a policy should be conveyed that encourages the practice of sport: it cannot be considered a luxury to do sport in Italy, the standards have to be changed. At the EXPO we will provide Wellness as an example of lifestyle, we have created the Technogym Village in Romagna which is able to combine health prevention and wellbeing. The successful model to be pursued to make our country a reference point and to attract tourists and talent".

Raffaele Squitieri has called for reflection on how "reducing investment in sport is an error because it penalises an industry that is a driving force behind a healthier life and one which reduces health care costs, as well as being a sociological reference point". Massimo Castiglia di Ferrero wanted to highlight his company's alliance with the world of sport "because the sector can bring obvious benefits to the country".

The Under-secretary Graziano Delrio then opened the second phase of the debate. "Sport can change the destiny of a country. It is a cost but we pay a high price for inadequate lifestyles. For this reason, in cooperation with CONI we decided to invest in schools through the "Class Sports" Project. Then there is the initiative of a thousand sports facilities in a thousand days, which we will present to the President Renzi. We need private enterprise, European development funds, and mainly Credito Sportivo (sports credit loan): we need structures, particularly in the South where it is well known that there are fewer facilities".

The Minister Beatrice Lorenzin analysed the importance of the benefits of sport for healthcare. "The factors that influence the predisposition to cancer are, in first place, smoking, in second place, alcohol, in third, food and in fourth, sedentary lifestyle. That is why sport is one of the main elements of prevention".

The speech by CONI President, Giovanni Malagò, lastly identified a number of worrying figures linked to physical inactivity and childhood obesity in our country. “The average Italian statistics show that 22.2% of the population is overweight, while 12.6% is in the range of obesity, with a strong emphasis on the problems in the Southern Regions. Not to mention that a sedentary lifestyle affects 42%. The problem is reflected in the physical aspect, because they are at risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In these scenarios, the role of sport as a preventive activity becomes crucial. We are in a historic moment, we have to create the turning point. It does not fall within the CONI Statute but I feel this is my mission. Each percentage point of a sedentary lifestyle that is reduced becomes a saving of 200 million in healthcare. The impact of sport on the GDP is around 1.6%, but we have great potential. We have to transfer the concept of sports culture to 60 million Italians".

Sergio D'Antoni focused on how important it is to "invest in sport in order to have a positive impact on all fronts. And in that sense it is essential to create events to promote this trend".

The closing of the conference was entrusted to the words of the Minister Lorenzin and the Under-secretary Delrio. "Compared to the past, styles and habits have changed. Abroad there are investors who want to come to Italy because we are synonymous with quality. However, we must gain an awareness that improving the quality of life means exponentially increasing the country's development and simultaneously the GDP. What is needed is an alliance between families, municipalities, sports associations, CONI and the Government to bring about substantial benefits".

The Prosecution Office shall refer the boxer Manuel Cappai. Requested a one-year disqualification

The Italian Antidoping Prosecution Office has ordered the referral of the athlete Manuel Fabrizio Cappai (FPI affiliated) to the First Chamber of the CONI National Anti-Doping Court for the recognition of liability for the breach of Article 2.4. of the WADA Code. This is in relation to the minutes entered, over a time period of 18 (eighteen) months, of three breaches relating to information on the whereabouts of athletes due to three "Missed communications" with a request for a one-year disqualification.

Seven months disqualification for William Frullani (bobsledding)

The National Antidoping Tribunal Second Section has delivered the ruling about William Frullani's (bobsledding) double positivity to methylhexaneamine, observed at Sochi Olympic Games 2014 (18-21 February).

The ruling text follows:

"NAT Second Section states the responsibility of athlete William Frullani about the charge attributed to him and, considering the articles 2.1 and 10.4 of the World Antidoping Code 2014 (18-21 February), inflicting the penalty of disqualification for 7 months starting from the 1st of October and with deadline on the 30th of April 2015; Mr. William Frullani is condemned to pay the costs of lawsuit, quantified with a forfeit as 350.00 EUR; it rejects the request proposed by UPA about the application of the accessory economic sanction; it orders to communicate this measure to the person concerned, to UPA, to FIB, to the corresponding Federation (FISI) and to the Association to which the person concerned belonged at the time of circumstances."

President Napolitano welcomes a delegation of golden athletes. "You are the pride of this country"

 The tricolore glistening of Italy medals is always a synonym for emotions, intense, vibrant emotions capable to lighten the stage. It is a pride uniting people thanks to the excellence of Italian athletes, capable to conquer the world. President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano, has had the desire to pay homage to sport receiving in the private room of General Secretary Donato Marra at the Quirinale Palace a delegation of Olympic and Paraolympic athletes who won medals at recent World and European Championships, in order to celebrate a summer of satisfactory results and success. The Italian delegation was lead by CONI President Giovanni Malagò, General Secretary Roberto Fabbricini, Vice President Carlo Mornati, Italian Paraolympic Committee President Luca Pancalli, CIP General Secretary Marco Giunio De Sanctis and federal Presidents Riccardo Agabio (gymnastics), Paolo Barelli (swimming), Alfio Giomi (athletics), Giovanni Petrucci (basketball) and Giorgio Scarso (fencing).

The Head of State has shown up at the private audience as a sportsman among sportsmen, that is without a tie: "Malagò is a master of elegance, but today is a very humid day and having also to speak to an audience I rather had the collar of my shirt open. I wanted to meet you to make you feel my sympathy and all of Italy's; we are meeting each other very often because you win very often".
Napolitano has thanked the champions with a few, sharp words. "I thank you on behalf of this country because your medals and your successes are something all of us can be proud of". Armin Zoeggeler, Italian flagbearer at the Winter Games in Sochi 2014, has returned the tricolore flag to the President with all the signatures of Italian athletes awarded with medals during the Olympics. At the audience there were Tania Cagnotto and Francesca Dallapè (diving), Gregorio Paltrinieri (swimming), Libania Grenot and Daniele Meucci (athletics), Arianna Errigo and Rossella Fiamingo (fencing), Vanessa Ferrari (gymnastics), Genny Pagliaro (weightlifting), Marco Belinelli (basketball), Sara Morganti (Paraolympic equestrian sports) and Piero Alberto Buccoliero (paracanoe). Malagò has claimed "the pride of Italian sport about these great Italian athletes: they are very special athletes, and they must be a role model".

Malagò with the athletes at the Quirinale Palace for the school year inauguration

CONI President Giovanni Malagò has lead an Italian delegation at the school year inauguration at the Quirinale Palace, with the President of Italy attending.

Together with Malagò there were CONI General Secretary Roberto Fabbricini, Vice Secretary Carlo Mornati, Italian Paraolympic Committee President Luca Pancalli, General Secretary Marco Giunio De Sanctis, and athletes Tania Cagnotto and Francesca Dallapè (diving), Rossella Fiamingo and Arianna Errigo (fencing), Vanessa Ferrari (gymnastics), Genny Pagliaro (weightlifting), Gregorio Paltrinieri (swimming), Marco Belinelli (basketball), Armin Zoeggeler (sledge), Daniele Meucci (athletics), Bebe Vio and Marco Coluccini (Paraolympic fencing and archery, respectively).

The athletes have been called to the stage during Rai live broadcasting of Tutti a scuola, presented by Fabrizio Frizzi, to tell about the secrets of their enterprises after a triumphal summer characterized by Italian victories at European and World Championships. President Malagò has reminded the importance of interaction between the world of sport and that of school, also considering the "Sport di classe" ("Class sport") project recently introduced with MIUR, with the key participation of the Prime Minister Office: "Small champions are born in school institutes. Pietro Mennea was discovered at school and therefore we are in search of new Menneas. School must teach sport. Sport culture makes Italy a winner. Athletes are people who are not only participating in a sport competition but they must be also an example for everyone." Luca Pancalli, CIP President, has underlined the relevance of athletes' victories. "This is Italy that works. Sport school is for a country that can dream."