Fabio Basile gives Italy the 200th Olympic gold medal

Historical gold for the judoka Fabio Basile that gives the 200th most precious metal medal won by Italy at the Summer Olympic Games. The Italian athlete defeated in the final of 66 kg the Korean An with ippon and then detonated his joy for a long-awaited success. This is the fourth Olympic gold medal from judo and the first obtained during the presidency of Giovanni Malagò.

Silver for Giuffrida in the judo 52 kg

Odette Giuffrida did not get on the top step of the podium of judo 52 kg. The Italian judoka has lost on points against the Kosovan athlete Klemendi, obtaining anyway an important silver medal. The fifth medals for Italy at Rio 2016.

IOC President Bach guest at Casa Italia tomorrow

Another special guest at Casa Italia (The headquarters of the Italian team). Tomorrow the beautiful setting of the Costa Brava Club, headquarters of the Italian team competing in Rio, will welcome IOC President Thomas Bach. After yesterday's meeting with Prime minister Matteo Renzi, the head of the International Olympic Committee will pay tribute to the Italian delegation taking part in the 31st edition of the Summer Olympics. The visit is scheduled to start at 7.45pm local time.

Cagnotto and Dallapé historic silver in synchronised 3m springboard

Tania Cagnotto and Francesca Dallapè won for the first time an Olympic medal. The silver won in the synchronised trampoline is for the Italian athletes a long pursued goal. The fifth participation at the Olympic for Tania Cagnotto, on the second step of the podium after so many positioning from the diving board: 18th Sydney 2000, 8th Athens 2004, 5th Beijing 2008, 4th London 2012 both in the individual 3m and synchronised. Francesca Dallapè instead began to chase the podium in Beijing 2008 with the 6th position in synchronised and together with Tania obtained the 4th place in London. The two Italian athletes (photo Ferraro/GMT) totalled 313.83 points and placed themselves behind the Chinese Shi and Wu (345.60). In third place the Australian Keeney and Smith (299.19).

Elisa Longo Borghini won the bronze medal in the cycling road race

Third Italian medal at the Rio Games. To win it was Elisa Longo Borghini, who starred in the cycling road race won by the Dutch Anna Van der Breggen. Second place went to the Sweden Emma Johansson.

Bronze for Detti in the 400m freestyle, swimming provides Italy its 2nd medal in Rio

Swimming gives Italy its second medal at the Olympic Games in Rio 2016. It was won by Gabriele Detti who touched home third in the final of the 400m freestyle in (3:43.49), behind the Australian, Horton (3:41.55) and China's Sun Yang (3:41.68).

Silver for Fiamingo in the Épée, Italy's first medal

Rossella Fiamingo has won Italy's first medal at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The Italian epeeist (photos GMT/Mezzelani), led 10-6, but was caught up and defeated by the Hungarian, Szasz 15-13, however she still brings home silver. The athlete from Catania reached the final by beating China's Sun 12-11 in extra time. At her second Olympics, Fiamingo, winner of the World Championships in 2014 and 2015, improves on the seventh place she achieved in London 2012. 

Pellegrini leads Italy and opens the Games. "I am proud to be the Italian flag-bearer, a night to remember"

Lights, colours and emotions: the Maracanã is ready to celebrate, history is made. The "five rings" give South America a special embrace for the very first time. Raise the curtain, spotlights on, flashes light up a stadium which expresses an informal solemnity that could charm anyone: Rio is transformed into a sparkling festival, the smiles of the athletes widen hearts across the world, and not only the sporting one. This is how the XXXI edition of the Summer Olympics begins. Using a striking and linear script: images of the ocean, the beach, the distinctive features of a festive land which is never banal, inspiring, reflecting the wonders of its nature while at the same time not forgetting the problems and poverty. It is the genesis, the beginning of everything: describes Brazil, the Carioca tradition that opens up to the world, Christ the Redeemer who spreads his arms upon the Earth and the continents which the Olympic movement aims to unite, crossing every barrier. It is the meaning of sport which unites, a universal language that acts as a wrecking ball and knocks down every wall. It is a 5th August to write in the record books: original floral carts that announce the entry of the 207 participating Nations onto the track. Greece is first up, symbolic and quintessential home of the Games, where the movement started.

It is a frenetic and entertaining parade of alternating kits designed to leave a mark, to win the gold medal for style. Italy, guided by the Team Head Carlo Mornati, enters at 9:52 pm local time (02:53 am in Italy) led by Federica Pellegrini, the Divine, enshrouded in a contagious enthusiasm (GMT-photo by Mezzelani).It is an incredible sign of fate that this unique and inimitable day coincides with her 28th birthday: it was written in the folds of a beautiful book, the autobiography of a champion who has enjoyed collecting World and European Championship medals as well as an Olympic gold medal in trophy cabinet, carving her way through the pool using her unmistakable trademark freestyle. Federica smiles, waving the "tricolour" as the 102nd country steps onto the track, before the eyes of the enchanted CONI president Giovanni Malagò, the Secretary General, Roberto Fabbricini, the President of the Organising Committee of Rome 2024, Luca di Montezemolo, and a special supporter who is accompanying the "Azzurri" during these hours of feverish anticipation: Prime minister Matteo Renzi.

Spontaneous applause, the elegant blue EA7 kit doesn't go unnoticed nor do the attention-grabbing red, white and green shoes. "I am proud to be the team's flag-bearer, it's a great honour. "We will give it our all", she recalls while more than 150 "azzurri" parade alongside her, reigniting the ambition which sees us as the fifth most successful nation of all time at the summer and winter Olympics. The "tricolour tide" will be involved in 20 events: rowing, badminton, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, golf, gymnastics, weightlifting, judo, swimming, diving, women's water polo and tennis teams, archery, skeet shooting, sailing, the two volleyball teams and a beach volleyball delegation. The second part of the ceremony was taken up by official speeches, the formal welcome from IOC President, Thomas Bach, the canonical oaths, the surprise of the last torchbearer, Vanderlei Lima, the marathon runner famous for being blocked by a spectator in the street, the day Baldini won gold in Athens 2004. The flame has been lit, the challenge is on. Make the Games your own.

Changes in IOC Executive Board with seven new Members and two new Vice Presidents

Two new IOC Vice-Presidents were elected along with seven new Members on the Executive Board at the 129th IOC Session ahead of the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP) and Ugur Erdener (TUR) will replace outgoing Vice-Presidents Nawal El Moutawakel (MAR) and Sir Craig Reedie (GBR). Five new and returning Members will also be joining the Executive Board: Gian Franco Kasper (SUI), Angela Ruggiero (USA), Sergey Bubka (UKR), Ser Miang Ng (SIN), and Willi Kaltschmitt (GUA). Ching-Kuo Wu and Patrick Hickey are resuming their seats as representatives of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) respectively. The new Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, Angela Ruggiero, replaces outgoing Chair Claudia Bokel, following the elections earlier this week. The newly composed EB will begin its work after the Olympic Games Rio 2016.

In a presentation by the Chair of the IOC Members Election Commission, HRH the Princess Royal, it was reported that the Commission has devised a new procedure for the recruitment of IOC Members based on the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations. The new approach aims at targeting new members with the skills and experience needed by the IOC, and includes integrity checks by the IOC Ethics Commission.
Following a proposal from the Executive Board, eight new IOC Members were elected at the 129th IOC Session ahead of the Olympic Games Rio 2016: Nita Ambani (IND); Sari Essayah (FIN); Ivo Ferriani (ITA); Luis Moreno (COL); Auvita Rapilla (PNG); Anant Singh (RSA); Tricia Smith (CAN); and Karl Stoss (AUT).
The newly-elected Members represent a cross-section of expertise from the worlds of sport, culture, medicine, sociology, business, law and management. Gender equality is guaranteed with four women and four men on the list.

Seventeen Members were re-elected en bloc: Anita DeFrantz (USA), HRH The Princess Royal (GBR), Richard Carrión (PUR), Nat Indrapana (THA), Denis Oswald (SUI), IOC President Thomas Bach (GER), Mario Pescante (ITA), Gerhard Heiberg (NOR), Robin Mitchell (FIJ), Alex GILADY (ISR), Sam Ramsamy (RSA), Ung Chang (PRK), Guy Drut (FRA), Samih Moudallal (SYR), Zaiqing Yu (CHN), Sergey Bubka (UKR), and Ugur Erdener (TUR).
The addition of the new Members brings the total number of IOC Members to 98. More proposals are due for the IOC Session in Lima in 2017 after elections in certain International Summer Sports Federations and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) following the Olympic Games Rio 2016, in consultation with the respective stakeholders.

Italian men's team pursuit permitted to take part in the Games. 314 Italian athletes in Rio

The number of Italian athletes at the Rio 2016 Games grows again. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), in fact, under the principle of "target number," has added the Italian team of Filippo Ganna, Simone Consonni, Liam Bertazzo and Francesco Lamon to the men's team pursuit on the track. With Michele Scartezzini selected as a reserve. The number of Italian athletes qualified for the Brazilian Games now stands at 314 (170 men and 144 women).