National Sports Day 2025 to take place on 14–15 June, in conjunction with the Jubilee of Sport

• ANNOUNCEMENT AT EXPO OSAKA

Sport as a universal language that unites, inspires and motivates. This was the key message of the event Sport: Stories of Brotherhood, Hope, Value, held on Friday 2 May at the Auditorium of the Italian Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025 in Japan, organised by the Holy See with the participation of CONI.

During the event, the Italian National Olympic Committee announced that this year, National Sports Day 2025 will be held in conjunction with the Jubilee of Sport on 14 and 15 June across Italy, with events organised and promoted by CONI’s Regional Committees throughout the country. The centrepiece of the initiative will be a major event in Piazza del Popolo in Rome on 14 June, linked with activities nationwide, culminating in a Mass in St Peter’s Square on 15 June.

“Sport plays a fundamental educational and formative role, contributing significantly to physical, psychological and social development,” stressed Cecilia D’Angelo, CONI Territorial Director. “Through participation in youth sport initiatives such as the CONI Centres, CONI Educamps and the Trofeo CONI, young people experience the meaning of respect for rules and for others, friendship and fair play, values that are essential to building a cohesive, inclusive, just and resilient society.” Alongside Cecilia D’Angelo, who headed the CONI delegation at Expo Osaka, the event – moderated by journalist Federico Buffa – also featured Andrea Marin, Director of the Italian Pavilion; Alvio La Face, Head of Institutional Relations and of the Legislative and Sports Justice Observatory at CONI; Azzurro rugby player Andrea Lo Cicero; Olympic judo champion Pino Maddaloni; and Olympic windsurfing champion and multiple medallist Alessandra Sensini, who spoke of the role sport played in shaping her as both an athlete and a woman.

The morning session of the event included contributions from Mario Vattani, General Commissioner for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka; Stefano Riccardi, Director of the Holy See Pavilion; Damiano Tommasi, Mayor of Verona and sports executive; young women’s football talent Carol De Lisanti; coach Massimo Ficcadenti; and international referee Alfredo Trentalange. The day concluded with a moment of play and interaction, as the panellists joined local children on the mini pitch set up by CONI, to enthusiastic welcome and participation. Rounding out this day of sport and reflection was the display of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games torches for Milano Cortina 2026 – symbols of sport as a messenger of peace and unity.

CONI lands at EXPO 2025, showcasing Italian sporting excellence to the world

• IN OSAKA

CONI takes centre stage at the Italian Pavilion of EXPO 2025. Thanks to an agreement with the General Commission for Italy’s participation in EXPO 2025 Osaka, the Italian National Olympic Committee will be present from 26 April to 4 May with a multidisciplinary programme combining play, education and sporting culture as part of the theme week dedicated to sport, entitled Co-creating Culture for Future, which coincides with Japan’s “Golden Week”.

With ‘It’s not just a game, it’s sport’, CONI, through its Territorial Directorate, presents its own approach to sports guidance and initiation to the public of the Universal Exhibition, via the CONI Fair Play Games, which follow the IOC’s OVEP – Olympic Values Education Programme.

The multidisciplinary activities, which began on 26 April in the area in front of the Italian Pavilion, offer a unique opportunity to promote Made in Italy through Italy’s sporting excellence.  The CONI initiative has been met with great enthusiasm and participation from very many young people and their families during the hours dedicated to sporting activities. Young visitors also had the opportunity to meet Italia Team ambassador and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, Luigi Busà.

The Azzurro karateka took part yesterday, alongside Cecilia D’Angelo, CONI Territorial Director, in the event L’Italia che non hai (ancora) visto (The Italy you haven’t seen (yet)), which marked the start of the week dedicated to the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Also taking part were Mario Vattani, General Commissioner for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka, Filippo Manara, Consul General of Italy in Japan, Massimiliano Fedriga, President of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and the regional councillor for production and tourism, Sergio Emidio Bini.

Busà emphasised the importance of sport not only in shaping future champions, but also in helping to develop better women and men.

The Sicilian karateka also launched the Trofeo CONI 2025, which, in its tenth summer edition, will return, ten years later, to Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in Lignano Sabbiadoro, which will also host the EYOF 2027.

Cecilia D’Angelo, for her part, highlighted the importance of sporting events such as the Trofeo CONI, scheduled to take place from 28 September to 1 October 2025 in Lignano Sabbiadoro, in supporting local development and boosting tourism.

“Beyond its sporting and educational value, the Trofeo CONI is also an important resource for the area that hosts it,” she said. “The event helps create a positive legacy in terms of socio-economic impact, involving local industries and supporting tourism during the low season.” “Events such as this one allow regions to tell their story and showcase themselves, promoting their natural, cultural and human identity,” she added, also recalling the upcoming edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), which in 2027 will return to Friuli-Venezia Giulia after 22 years. “For this tourist destination in Friuli, it will be both a great challenge and a major opportunity to host such a significant event dedicated to young athletes from all over Europe”.

Il CONI in vetrina al Padiglione Italia dell'EXPO Osaka 2025

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Farewell to Pope Francis: competitions suspended today in honour of the Pontiff, a passionate supporter and lover of sport

• THE WORLD OF SPORT MOURNS

“Italian sport, deeply saddened, joins the profound mourning for the passing of the Holy Father Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio. The world has lost a spiritual guide who illuminated the path of the faithful and the wider community, thanks to his message of brotherhood, solidarity and the values that must inspire us in striving to build a better society. Pope Francis enlightened consciences, constantly demonstrating his closeness to our world, sharing its ideals and goals.” With these words, CONI President Giovanni Malagò paid tribute to Jorge Bergoglio, Pope Francis, who has passed away at the age of 88.

“There are so many memories that bind us to him,” Malagò continued, “and so many occasions for reflection in which he honoured the different parts of our sporting world, encouraging us to understand the importance of the example that sport can offer as a behavioural model for new generations and for anyone who can be inspired by its authenticity. I recall with emotion and pride the audience in 2014, when he received the entire Italian sporting community at St Peter’s Basilica to celebrate CONI’s centenary and our history, as well as his unconditional support for the Olympic spirit, which can help us to achieve those spiritual goals we must pursue every day. Paying tribute to the memory of the Holy Father Francis means renewing this commitment in his unforgettable memory”.

A lifelong supporter of San Lorenzo and a great enthusiast of sport, from his father Mario’s love of basketball to his own passion for football, Bergoglio maintained a close relationship with the sporting world. On 1 June 2014, he entered the Stadio Olimpico for the first time, following in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II, to take part in the 37th Convocation of the Catholic movement Renewal in the Spirit, titled “Receive the Holy Spirit. For a ‘missionary’ Church ‘on the move’”.

A few months later, on 19 December 2014, Pope Francis celebrated the centenary of the Italian National Olympic Committee before an audience of six thousand people at St Peter’s Basilica, in a special edition of the traditional Mass of Sportspeople. “Sport has its home in the Church,” Pope Francis explained on that occasion. “The Olympic motto – ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ – is not an encouragement towards the supremacy of one nation over another, or of one people over another, nor does it seek to exclude the weakest or least protected. It represents a challenge for us all, not just for athletes: the challenge of undertaking hard work and sacrifice to achieve the important goals of life, accepting our limits without being paralysed by them but striving to surpass ourselves”.

“We are celebrating your centenary together,” Pope Francis continued, “an important milestone for Italian sport. For 100 years, CONI has promoted, organised and led sport in Italy, not only in view of the Olympic Games, a global event, but also by valuing sport’s social, educational and cultural dimension, following the founding principles of the Olympic Charter, which include the centrality of the individual, the protection of human rights and the building of a better world free from wars and tensions, educating young people without discrimination, in a spirit of friendship, solidarity and loyalty. Sport has always fostered universalism among peoples, peace among nations, and respect for diversity. Every sporting event, especially the Olympic Games, can become a force capable of opening new and sometimes unexpected paths towards overcoming conflict”.

CONI President Giovanni Malagò has invited the National Sport Federations, the Associated Sports Disciplines and the Sports Promotion Bodies to suspend all scheduled sports activities today and to observe a minute’s silence at competitions across Italy during the remainder of the week, to mourn the passing of the Holy Father Francis and to honour his memory.

Milano Cortina 2026 unveils the torches: two masterpieces to symbol the excellence of Italian design

• OLYMPIC GAMES

The torches of Milano Cortina 2026, which will ignite anticipation and enthusiasm for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, were revealed today in two simultaneous events at the Triennale di Milano and at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Four exceptional athletes — true icons who have written indelible pages in the history of the Games — presented the torches: Olympic Champion and the last torchbearer at the Olympic Winter Games Torino 2006 Stefania Belmondo and Paralympic Champion Bebe Vio in Milano; Paralympic Champion Martina Caironi and Carolina Kostner, bronze medallist at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014, in Osaka.

The Milano Cortina 2026 torches have been named “Essential”, a tribute to their minimalist design and were developed by Eni, Premium Partner of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, in collaboration with Versalis (Eni), Official Supporter of the Games. The two versions of the torch – one for the Olympic Winter Games and the other for the Paralympic Winter Games – both feature a reflective, iridescent finish but differ in colour. The Olympic torch in blue-green hues, the Paralympic torch in bronze tones. Eni and Versalis entrusted the design development to Studio Carlo Ratti Associati, while Cavagna Group is responsible for the engineering and production of the Torch and its components.

Their simple form enhances the centrality of the flame, striking a perfect balance between technology, innovation and sustainability. Essential is a tribute to the excellence of Italian design. Every detail has been carefully crafted to express the strength and determination of athletes, as well as their ability to bring people together through sport Each torch is more than just an object; it is an icon, a fundamental part of the story that Milano Cortina 2026 aims to write, and the legacy it seeks to leave to the Olympic and Paralympic Movements. The torches play a special role as they carry the Flame—a light that shines within every athlete, illuminating the path toward a future of peace and global solidarity. The torch is the guardian of the Flame, a powerful symbol passed from hand to hand, bringing together people from all walks of life in one extraordinary journey. It is a traditionally iconic object, a witness to timeless values, telling the story of the Games and the identity of the Host Country.

As timeless icons, the torches preserve the legacy of the Games and reflect the identity of the host country. The two torches will be showcased at the Italia Pavilion throughout Expo 2025 in Osaka and will also be on display at the Triennale di Milano from May 2025 until the end of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. After the Games, having written a new chapter in Olympic and Paralympic history, the Essential Olympic torch will join the prestigious collection of torches at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, leaving a tangible legacy of innovation and sustainability for future generations.

The Essential torches will all be made in Italy. They are lightweight, weighing approximately 1,060 grams excluding the fuel cannister, and are primarily composed of recycled materials, specifically an aluminium and brass alloy. Sustainability is at the heart of this iconic object: the torches have been designed with a system that allows them to be reused and refilled up to 10 times, significantly reducing the amount of torches required for both relays. The same attention to detail was dedicated to the energy source that will fuel the flame. The burner – the technological core of the torch – will run on bio-LPG, produced at the Enilive biorefinery in Gela, Sicily. Bio-LPG is made exclusively from renewable raw materials, mainly waste sources such as used cooking oil, animal fats and residues from the agricultural industry.

Additionally, the torch’s grip features an insert made of XL EXTRALIGHT®, an ultra-light polymeric material produced by Finproject from a Versalis polymer containing 60% bio-naphtha derived from renewable raw materials. The exterior finish is crafted using Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technology, giving the torches a reflective, iridescent effect that allows them to blend with their surroundings depending on light conditions. This will offer a dynamic visual experience for both torchbearers and spectators. Essential features an open design that, for the first time, reveals its technological components, allowing torchbearers and the public to witness and understand how the flame is generated, unveiling the magic. The colours of the torches celebrate the bond between humans and nature, sport and the future. The Olympic torch lights up with Shades of Sky, inspired by Italy’s ever-changing landscapes. A colour that speaks of movement, hope, and transformation. The Paralympic torch glows with Mountains of Light, honouring the inner strength of Paralympic athletes and the power of their courage to reshape the world. (agc)

Los Angeles 2028 event programme marks strong commitment towards innovation and gender equality

• OLYMPIC GAMES

The event programme and athlete quotas for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28) have been approved by the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). With a total of 351 medal events, 22 more than at Paris 2024 (329), the LA28 programme maintains the core athlete quota of 10,500, with an extra 698 quota places allocated for the five sports proposed by the LA28 Organising Committee (baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash).

For the first time in history, all team sports will have at least the same number of women’s teams as men’s teams, with water polo adding two women’s teams, making it now 12 women’s and 12 men’s teams.

Football, with 16 female teams, will feature more women’s teams than men’s (12).

Gender equality was a key consideration when deciding on the athlete quota and the number of events. In the initial sports programme, with 10,500 athletes, the number of female athletes is 5,333 and the number of male athletes 5,167. The additional sports add 322 female athletes and 376 male athletes. In addition, six mixed events were added to the event programme. Out of 351 events, there are 161 women’s events, 165 men’s events and 25 mixed events.

A powerful platform for female athletes

- Football: for the first time in Olympic history, more women’s teams (16) than men’s (12) will compete.
- Boxing: an additional women’s weight category ensures full gender parity across events, while maintaining equal numbers of athlete quotas for men and women, as was the case at Paris 2024.
- Water polo: two additional women’s teams will ensure full gender parity in the athlete quota and number of teams.
- Expanded mixed events: archery, athletics (4x100m mixed relay), golf, gymnastics, rowing coastal beach sprint and table tennis will all see the inclusion of a new mixed team event.

New medal opportunities and innovation

- Swimming: the 50m backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke events for both men and women will bring high-speed excitement to the pool at Inglewood Stadium.
- Rowing: women’s solo (CW1x), men’s solo (CM1x) and mixed double sculls (CX2x) will make their debut in coastal beach sprint.
- Sport climbing: boulder and lead events will now be contested as separate medal events, creating new stages for athletes to shine.
- Basketball 3x3: having made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with eight teams each for men and women, the event has expanded to include 12 teams per gender.

The full event programme is available here

Twenty-four out of 31 Olympic International Federations had put forward a request for a change in their event programme from the Olympic Games Paris 2024. In total, 46 new events were requested (16 male / 17 female / 13 mixed), six of which were to potentially replace existing events, making a net total of 40 more events requested. In total, 772 additional quota places were requested for the initial sport and event programme of 10,500 athletes (339 male / 433 female).

The event programme principles

The event programme for LA28 was developed based on the requests submitted by the International Sports Federations to the IOC. The decision from the IOC EB followed the recommendation from the Olympic Programme Commission and the principles approved in 2023, which specified that the Games should be gender equal, globally appealing, cost and complexity conscious, and athlete focused.

LA28 sports programme

With the inclusion of boxing, approved by the IOC Session in March 2025, the LA28 sports programme is composed of 31 sports, with an additional five sports proposed by the Organising Committee and approved by the IOC in 2023.

Francesco Ricci Bitti appointed IOC Honorary Member. Unanimous decision in Greece, a first for an Italian

• IN COSTA NAVARINO

Francesco Ricci Bitti has been unanimously elected Honorary Member of the International Olympic Committee. The 83-year-old Italian executive was chosen by IOC members meeting in Costa Navarino, Greece, during the 144th Session, which will also elect the successor to IOC President Thomas Bach.

It was Bach himself who presented Ricci Bitti’s candidacy, together with that of former United Nations Secretary-General and Chair of the IOC Ethics Commission, Ban Ki-moon. “It is a great honour and pleasure to propose, on behalf of the entire Executive Board, two exceptional leaders,” said Bach, who praised Ricci Bitti’s commitment to autonomy, cohesion, and good governance within the Olympic Movement.

The position of Honorary Member is granted to distinguished individuals outside the IOC who have rendered outstanding service in accordance with the Olympic Charter. The last person to be named Honorary Member was Henry Kissinger, former United States Secretary of State, who passed away in 2023. This marks the first time the honour has been awarded to an Italian executive.

In his long career in sports management, Ricci Bitti (photo: Roberto Di Tondo CONI) served as President of the Italian Tennis Federation and later of the International Tennis Federation (1999–2015). He was also an IOC member from 2006 to 2012. From 2013 to 2024, he served three terms as President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF). In 2016, he was awarded the Collare d’Oro by CONI, Italy’s highest sporting honour. Throughout his distinguished career, he was also a member of the CONI Executive Board and National Council.

Kirsty Coventry elected IOC President, the first female President in IOC history

• IN COSTA NAVARINO

ECO signs Host City Contract with Istanbul for European Games in 2027

• FOURTH EDITION

The European Olympic Committees (EOC), Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) and Turkish National Olympic Committee (NOC) have today signed the Host City Contract for the Istanbul 2027 European Games.

The signing of the agreement at the 54th EOC General Assembly marks official confirmation that Europe’s premier multi-sport event will be held in Türkiye’s largest city in two years’ time.

Following approval from the EOC members at the 53rd EOC General Assembly in June 2023, the Host City Contract will enable preparations in Istanbul to accelerate, with the full sport programme for the fourth edition of the European Games to be confirmed later this year.

EOC President Spyros Capralos, Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem İmamoğlu and Turkish NOC President Prof. Dr. Uğur Erdener attended the signing in Frankfurt, Germany, with all stakeholders, including the Turkish government, committed to holding a world-class event that elevates the European Games to the next level.

President Capralos said: “The signing of the Host City Contract for the Istanbul 2027 European Games marks a significant milestone for the EOC, and we are excited to take this important step forward. The excellent relationship that the EOC has enjoyed with Istanbul, the Turkish NOC and the Turkish government has been invaluable in bringing us to this point. Their dedication and collaboration have been essential in making this vision a reality. As we prepare for the fourth edition of the European Games, we are committed to delivering an event that not only highlights the very best of European sport but also celebrates the rich culture and hospitality of Istanbul and Türkiye. Together, we will elevate the European Games to new heights, and I am confident that Istanbul 2027 will be a truly world-class event that unites athletes and spectators alike. We look forward to working closely with our Turkish partners in the years ahead to make this a truly memorable Games”.

Mayor İmamoğlu said: “This is a proud moment for our city and for Türkiye as we take on the responsibility of hosting the European Games. I would like to express my gratitude to the EOC and the Turkish NOC for their trust and collaboration”.

Second place for Manila Esposito at the ‘Piotr Nurowski 2024’, Azzurra gymnast awarded in Frankfurt

• AWARDED BY THE EOCs

Second place for Manila Esposito at the ‘Piotr Nurowski’ award, presented today in Frankfurt during the 54th General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees.

The Azzurra gymnast, Olympic silver medallist in the team final and Olympic bronze medallist on the balance beam at Paris 2024, had been selected among the five finalists for the award dedicated to the former tennis player and President of the Polish Olympic Committee, which the EOCs have been presenting since 2011 to celebrate Olympic values in young athletes.

The winner of the 2024 edition was Hungary’s Viviana Marton (taekwondo), ahead of the eighteen-year-old Fiamme Oro athlete and French table tennis player Felix Lebrun. Completing the ranking were Lithuania’s Dominika Banevic (breaking) and Germany’s Helen Kevric (artistic gymnastics).

Esposito, who also claimed four gold medals at the European Championships held in Rimini in 2024, was presented with her prize by outgoing EOCs Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi and CONI President Giovanni Malagò (photo: EOCs).

The ‘Piotr Nurowski’ award was previously won in 2017 by cyclist Letizia Paternoster and, three years earlier, by swimmer Simone Sabbioni. In 2020, biathlete Linda Zingerle became the first young Italia Team athlete to win the winter edition of the award, introduced in 2016.

Carlo Mornati elected Secretary General of the EOCs, succeeding Raffaele Pagnozzi after 19 years

• IN FRANKFURT

Carlo Mornati is the new Secretary General of the European Olympic Committees. The Italian executive, currently Secretary General of CONI, was elected today during the 54th General Assembly of the EOCs taking place in Frankfurt, Germany.

Mornati was the sole candidate to replace fellow Italian Raffaele Pagnozzi, who steps down after 19 years and a long and distinguished managerial career, including serving as Secretary General of CONI.

The newly elected Secretary General (photo: EOCs), a silver medallist in the coxless four at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and world rowing champion, was elected unanimously as part of the renewal of the EOCs Executive Committee, which also confirmed Greek candidate Spyros Capralos as President, along with Daina Gudzinevičiūtė as Vice-President and Peter Mennel as Treasurer.

Also elected to the Executive Committee were Mihai Covaliu (ROU), Liney Rut Halldorsdottir (ISL), Danka Bartekova (SVK), Victoria Cabezas (ESP), Annamarie Phelps (GBR), Jean Michel Saive (BEL), Franjo Bobinac (SLO), Thomas Weikert (GER), Emma Terho (FIN), Zlatko Matesa (CRO), Jose Manuel Araujo (POR) and Anneke Van Zanen-Nieberg (NED).

The Assembly was attended by outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach, as well as CONI President and IOC member Giovanni Malagò – who provided an update to the European committees on preparations for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games – and a delegation from CONI’s Olympic Preparation division.

Mornati thanked President Malagò for supporting his candidacy and expressed his gratitude to Pagnozzi for his work over the years. Reflecting on his 13 Olympic experiences – first as an athlete, then in various roles including as Head of Mission for Italy – the newly elected Secretary General said: “I feel a great sense of responsibility for this election and I thank all the Committees that voted for me. I will work hard for the development of the EOCs”.