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."

Carolina Kostner summonsed for a second time on 26 September

The Italian Anti-doping Prosecution Office (UPA) announces that it has arranged the second hearing of the athlete Carolina Kostner for 26 September 2014 at 12:30 p.m. in order to answer disciplinary charges already alleged in the previous notification of 15 September 2014.

Positive Umberto Macale (Athletics), suspended as a precautionary measure

CONI announces that, as a result of the test carried out by the Laboratory of Rome, a positive case has been established. In the first sample analysed, the presence of Clenbuterol-Furosemide was found, for Umberto Macale, member of the Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL), in the competition control carried out by the CONI Antidoping Control Committee - NADO, on 9 August 2014 in Gioia dei Marsi (L'Aquila) at the time of the “Stramanaforno – Trofeo A. Panfili” running race. The first session of the Italian Antidoping Court (TNA) has suspended the athlete as a precautionary measure, accepting the request filed by the Italian Anti-doping Prosecution Office.

President Napolitano to receive a delegation of gold athletes at the Quirinale Palace on Monday

President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano is to receive in a private audience a delegation of men and women athletes who have won the gold medal in Olympic and Paraolympic specialities during the last months. The meeting will be held at the Quirinale Palace on the 22nd of September at 4 pm. This is the list of athletes: 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 (basket), Sara Morganti (Paraolympic equestrian sports), Piero Alberto Buccoliero (paracanoe). In such occasion, the Olympic multiple champion Armin Zoeggeler, Italy's flagbearer at the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi 2014, will hand the flag back to the President. Men and women athletes will be accompanied by CONI President Giovanni Malagò, by the Italian Paraolympic Committee President, by CONI General Secretary Roberto Fabbricini, by Vice Secretary Carlo Mornati and by the federal presidents of each athlete: Paolo Barelli, Alfio Giomi, Giorgio Scarso, Riccardo Agabio, Antonio Urso and Giovanni Petrucci. Next, the athletes are going to move to the Quirinale Square where they will take part in the school year opening ceremony, broadcast live on Rai 1 starting from 4.45 pm.

Prosecutor's Office communication on Carolina Kostner

Antidoping Prosecutor's Office informs that athlete Carolina Kostner has not shown up at the hearing today, as disclosed in advance by her lawyer through an e-mail sent on the present day. Thus, given the documentation gathered and to be received also by international organizations, this Office will agree to a second and last hearing of Mrs. Carolina Kostner.​

New hearing for Donati (athletics) on the 25th of September

Antidoping Prosecutor's Office has arranged a new hearing for athlete Roberto Donati (FIDAL member) on the 25th of September 2014 at 12 pm.​

Presentation of “Sport di classe”: it will be in all primary schools starting from November. Malagò: this is an historic turning point

“Sport di classe” is the new declination of physical education inside schools. The turning point has been presented this morning at the “Daniele Manin” Comprehensive School in Rome by CONI President Giovanni Malagò and Education, university and research Minister Stefania Giannini, with the Under-secretary of Prime Minister office with sport mandate Graziano Delrio and CIP President Luca Pancalli attending.

The project envisages the switch from an experimental perspective dedicated to only a few classes to the involvement of all primary schools for the entire 2014/2015 school year: two hours of physical education per week for the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade, starting from November, thanks to the integration of MIUR and CONI competences under a shared management. Since 2015 this offer will be further improved, with a chance to extend it to the 1st and 2nd grade, also thanks to European funds.

The other big novelty is characterized by the introduction of the sport tutor inside schools, an element that will have a role of support for all the school institutions, and playing an educational role for the teacher leading the class who will manage the two hours of physical education. A special attention will be devoted to the disabled students, thanks to the CIP contribution, which will also be present with its representatives in all the organizations managing the activities. The continuity factor with the plan “The good school” (“La buona scuola”) is represented by the training by MIUR, CONI and CIP of all teachers involved.

With “Class sport”, the philosophy of sport games also changes: they will be held also for primary schools but with an innovative spirit. The introduction of Winter Games between January and February is expected, as well as of the Year End Games, that will be held during school time and will have as a priority goal to promote the education and social value of sport activity.

CONI President Malagò has underlined the relevance of the project. “This is the most important battle, I already claimed that during my electoral campaign to those who told me that CONI had to stay away from this issue. I have insisted a lot on this and today I must thank Minister Giannini and the Government, represented by Undersecretary Delrio, to have allowed us to make this turning point real. This new governance is making us responsible, and there is a synergy with the State, which has understood that we could not go on like that, and this is building a bridge with the planning guidelines for next year on the route traced by Renzi and Giannini. This is an historical turning point, we are making our resources available. Last point, we stand for the involvement of private parties in order to come full circle.”

MIUR Minister Stefania Giannini has expressed the satisfaction of the Government. “I believe that sport, like study, is one of the most fascinating and enthusiastic things one can do in life. Sport is for everybody, but we also need physical education teachers who can teach sports from the beginning. What we wanted to do concretely is gathering all the organizations that deal with sport, the Minister I am honoured to lead and CONI, as a fundamental coordination element. Good school starts from the direct link with CONI and CIP, as well as from the action of the Prime Minister office which has made school the symbol of this Government.”

The Undersecretary of Prime Minister office Graziano Delrio has thanked CONI and MUIR: “Educations means giving one selves best and sport has such a function. For us sport is part of the big school education project because you play to get better and win, you have to work with your colleagues, you must accept defeat, sport is a school for life and an extraordinary tool for communitarian culture.”

National Board communication

The 1027th meeting of CONI National Board has taken place this morning at the Foro Italico, starting its works with the approval of the previous meeting of the 15th of July. In his communications, President Malagò has began talking about the new project about sport at school initiated with the Prime Minister office and the Education Ministry. To the attention of the Board has been brought the new Istat list in the field of the public administrations with the entering of 35 out of 45 national sport federations: the Board has acknowledged with satisfaction the authorization by the Data protection Authority allowing CONI-NADO the possibility to access the ADAMS system of WADA with sure advantages in the fight against doping.

President Malagò has informed the Board that this year the sportspeople's Mass will be celebrated in Saint Peter's Church on the 19th of December and that following the Mass a delegation from CONI will be greeted by the Holy Father in occasion of the centenary festivities. Still about the centenary, the Board has been informed that from the 9th to the 11th of October the CONI trophy dedicated to the delegations of athletes on a regional basis will be held in Caserta. After having heard about the report of lawyer Alberto Angeletti about a few administrative verifications, the Board has decided to give to the Fitetrec-Ante Italian Federation and Wushu-Kung Italian Federation the 10th of November as a definitive deadline for the approval of 2012 balance sheet. The Board has acknowledged the resignation of the Nautical Ski and Wakeboard Italian Federation President and the consequent elective assembly that will be held on the 18th of October. Lastly, the Board has approved the new list of the Olympic Club considering the results obtained in the first months of 2014, agreeing to completing it within the end of the year after the outcomes of all the World and European Championships. After having examined a long series of other organizational and administrative issues and having adopted the corresponding resolutions, the Board has ended its works at 11:45 am.
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The Public Prosecutor summons Carolina Kostner on 19 September

The Antidoping Prosecution Office, on the basis of media reports, announces that it has summonsed, on Friday 19 September 2014 commencing at 13:00, Carolina Kostner to answerthe objections (artt. 2.8. e 3.3. NSA).