Davis Cup champions Arnaldi and Bolelli awarded the Collare d'Oro by Malagò and Mornati
- TENNIS
The rising star and the seasoned veteran: a symbol of the present and future of a national team that has stood at the summit of world tennis for the past two years.
In a ceremony held in the Sala delle Fiaccole at the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) headquarters, Matteo Arnaldi was awarded the Collare d'Oro al Merito Sportivo (Golden Collar for Sporting Merit) for his pivotal role in Italy’s 2023 Davis Cup triumph. Simone Bolelli, meanwhile, received the prestigious honour not only for that same historic victory but also for contributing to Italy's latest success in 2024 — a testament to the country's growing dominance in the sport.
The awards were presented by CONI President Giovanni Malagò and General Secretary Carlo Mornati.
Arnaldi, born in Sanremo in 2001, played a decisive role in the thrilling campaign led by captain Filippo Volandri. Two seasons ago, Italy clinched the Davis Cup title by defeating Australia in the final, thanks to victories by Jannik Sinner over Alex de Minaur and Arnaldi’s crucial win against Alexei Popyrin.
For Bolelli, this marks the second and third Golden Collars of a distinguished career, having previously received the accolade for his Grand Slam victory in the 2015 Australian Open doubles alongside Fabio Fognini. A true stalwart of Italian tennis, Bolelli continues to be an indispensable figure both on and off the court.
Host City Contract signed: Lignano Sabbiadoro to host the EYOF from 24 July to 1 August 2027
- AT TRIESTE
CONI, the European Olympic Committees, the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region, the town of Lignano Sabbiadoro and the EYOF 2027 Organising Committee have signed the Host City Contract for the summer edition of the 19th European Youth Olympic Festival, Lignano 2027.
The agreement was signed today in Trieste, at the Palazzo della Regione, by the President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò, the President of the European Olympic Committees, Spyros Kapralos, the President of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region, Massimiliano Fedriga, the Mayor of Lignano Sabbiadoro, Laura Giorgi, and the President of the Lignano 2027 Bid Committee, Giorgio Brandolin. Also a signatory, though not present in person, was the Secretary General of the European Olympic Committees, Carlo Mornati.
Twenty-two years after the extraordinary 2005 edition, the most important multidisciplinary event dedicated to young European athletes will return to Lignano Sabbiadoro from 24 July to 1 August 2027.
The popular Friulian resort town secured the bid thanks to its existing facilities and venues, strong logistics and long-standing experience hosting major global multi-sport events. The decision was made at the General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees held in Bucharest, Romania, last June.
Sonego honoured with Collare d'Oro for Davis Cup triumph. Malagò: “Thank you for what you’ve done and what you will do”
- TENNIS
Lorenzo Sonego has officially joined his teammates in receiving the Collare d’Oro al Merito Sportivo (Golden Collar for Sporting Merit), marking the final presentation to members of Italy’s victorious 2023 Davis Cup team.
Following honours given to Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner, the Turin-born tennis player was welcomed to CONI’s Sala delle Fiaccole in Rome, where he received the highest accolade in Italian sport from CONI President Giovanni Malagò and General Secretary Carlo Mornati.
Sonego played a key role in Captain Filippo Volandri’s squad that brought the Davis Cup back to Italy in 2023, after a 47-year wait since the nation’s only previous victory in 1976. He was especially instrumental in the doubles, partnering with current ATP World No.1 Jannik Sinner.
A former World No.21 (achieved in 2021), Sonego has won four ATP Tour titles, in addition to three Challenger and three Futures crowns.
“Congratulations,” said President Malagò. “Thank you, Lorenzo, for what you’ve achieved and for what you will go on to achieve. I hope you’ll win many more Golden Collars in the future.”
Sinner receives Collare d'Oro from Malagò and Mornati. World no.1: “A prestigious honour that goes beyond individual achievements”
- TENNIS
The world’s top-ranked tennis player. The protagonist of a stellar 2024 season. A young man rewriting the history of Italian sport. Jannik Sinner has been awarded the Collare d’Oro al Merito Sportivo by CONI President Giovanni Malagò and General Secretary Carlo Mornati. His coach, Simone Vagnozzi, received the Palma d’Oro al Merito Tecnico for outstanding technical merit.
Sinner, the first Italian in history to reach No.1 in the ATP world rankings, was welcomed to the Sala delle Fiaccole at CONI headquarters alongside his coach and part of his team, for the official presentation of Italy’s most prestigious sporting honour. The recognition comes in the wake of Italy’s Davis Cup victories in 2023 and 2024, as well as Sinner’s Grand Slam triumphs at the Australian Open and US Open.
Together with teammates Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Berrettini, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, under the leadership of Captain Filippo Volandri, the 2001-born star from South Tyrol has led Team Italy to global success. Yet beyond team honours, the constant achievements by Italian players in singles, doubles, and mixed events continue to raise the national flag high on courts around the world.
“This is definitely one of the most prestigious awards of my career,” said Sinner. “But it goes beyond personal success. It’s really special to share victories while wearing the Azzurri jersey. The support I’ve received from the Italian public over the years has been a huge source of strength—especially during difficult times. Last year wasn’t easy, and the most beautiful part of it all was being able to celebrate those triumphs with the fans. Not just when things go well. That’s what makes it so special”.
Jannik Sinner al CONI per ritirare i Collari d'Oro 2023 e 2024
Collare d'Oro awarded to Berrettini for Davis Cup victory. Malagò: “He has done so much for Italian tennis”
- TENNIS
Following Lorenzo Musetti, it was Matteo Berrettini’s turn to be honoured. The Italian tennis star was welcomed at the Sala delle Fiaccole of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) headquarters in Rome by CONI President Giovanni Malagò to receive the Collare d’Oro al Merito Sportivo (Golden Collar for Sporting Merit).
The highest accolade in Italian sport was awarded to the 2021 Wimbledon finalist in recognition of Italy’s triumph in the 2024 Davis Cup, secured alongside teammates Jannik Sinner, Simone Bolelli, Andrea Vavassori, the aforementioned Lorenzo Musetti, and Captain Filippo Volandri.
“We are honoured to bestow the highest sporting distinction on Matteo, who has won the Davis Cup and contributed greatly to the development of Italian tennis,” said President Malagò. “Our hope is that this is just the first of many honours to come”.
Musetti breaks into ATP Top10 and receives the Collare d'Oro from Malagò and Mornati for Davis Cup triumph. CONI President: “We are proud of you”
- TENNIS
Monday 5 May 2025 will be a date Lorenzo Musetti is unlikely to forget.
Thanks to a series of outstanding performances over the past 12 months, the Italian tennis star has broken into the ATP Top 10 for the first time in his career, climbing to ninth place in the world rankings. He now sits just behind Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper, Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, and Alex de Minaur.
The bronze medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games becomes the sixth Italian in history to achieve this milestone, following in the footsteps of Adriano Panatta, Corrado Barazzutti, Fabio Fognini, Matteo Berrettini, and Jannik Sinner.
Fresh from reaching the final of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 and the semi-final in Madrid, the 23-year-old from Carrara—set to compete next at the Internazionali d’Italia at the Foro Italico—was welcomed to the Sala delle Fiaccole at CONI headquarters in Rome. There, he received the Collare d’Oro al Merito Sportivo (Golden Collar for Sporting Merit), the highest honour in Italian sport, presented by CONI President Giovanni Malagò and General Secretary Carlo Mornati.
The award recognises Musetti’s key role in Italy’s victorious 2024 Davis Cup campaign, which he won alongside teammates Jannik Sinner, Matteo Berrettini, Simone Bolelli, and Andrea Vavassori under the leadership of Captain Filippo Volandri. On the same occasion, Musetti also received the 'Collare d'Oro' for 2023, awarded to the Italian national team for returning to the top of world tennis after their only previous triumph in 1976.
“We are very, very, very proud of you,” said CONI President Malagò in his message to Musetti.
Malagò opens second edition of Olympic Management Course: “An excellence and a flagship for CONI”
- INTITOLATO A FRANCO CHIMENTI
“The Olympic Management Course is an outstanding initiative, a true flagship of CONI.” With these words, CONI President Giovanni Malagò officially opened the second edition of the Olympic Management Course, dedicated to the memory of Franco Chimenti.
Italy’s top sports official addressed the class following an opening introduction by CONI General Secretary Carlo Mornati. The course, run by CONI’s High School for Olympic Specialisation, aims to train highly qualified professionals who can actively contribute to the success of sport and the national Olympic team.
The programme is designed for twenty participants—graduates and elite athletes who have taken part in at least one Summer or Winter Olympic Games. It spans 300 hours, divided into nine modules, and requires full-time attendance and residential participation at the Giulio Onesti Olympic Preparation Centre in Rome.
The course provides an in-depth understanding of the Olympic System both nationally and internationally, with a strong focus on the governance of CONI and other sports institutions. It aims to enhance participants' comprehension of sport, Olympic values, and relevant regulations, while developing expertise in key areas such as legal frameworks, finance, marketing, innovation, management, and contracts—across all levels of ability and disability.
“There is an opportunity for you, as students, to take part in a placement during the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, just as last year’s class did in Paris,” Malagò added. “You will be immersed in a truly exceptional environment. Only the Olympic Committee can offer this kind of specialist training, and the calibre of the teaching staff brings added value. General Secretary Carlo Mornati has always supported this initiative, which reflects the prestige, history and international standing of CONI’s educational path. The people speaking to you today are directly involved in the sporting world. This course is genuinely unique. We are on the ground, on the front line. We live and breathe this reality”.
Before leaving, President Malagò also paid tribute to the late Franco Chimenti, for whom the course is named:
"He was my long-serving Vice President at CONI, the historic President of the Italian Golf Federation, President of CONI Servizi, and President of the 2023 Ryder Cup, which was a resounding success. It is absolutely right to honour those who helped shape and elevate our sporting world. It is no coincidence that we also named the road in front of the Aula Magna at the Olympic Preparation Centre after Franco Chimenti".
CONI at Expo Osaka 2025 with the panel Sport That Leaves a Mark: the Future of our Regions
- IN JAPAN
Sport as a driver of change and a tool for bringing cultures together. This was the central theme of the panel Sport That Leaves a Mark: the Future of our Regions, held on Sunday 4 May at the Auditorium of the Italy Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025 in Japan. The event took place during the Co-creating Cultures for the Future thematic week, and was made possible thanks to collaboration between the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and the Sports Diplomacy Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Also taking part were the Italian Paralympic Committee, the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, and business representatives involved through the Ministry, including Assosport, Banca IFIS and RCS Group.
“We are absolutely delighted to have had so many sport-related events this week at Expo, and we are very grateful to CONI, which has enabled so many young people from around the world to play together and enjoy moments of shared sport here outside the Italy Pavilion,” said Mario Vattani, Italy’s Commissioner General at Expo 2025, in his opening remarks. The Pavilion’s commitment to promoting sporting values was also underlined by Consul Filippo Manara. The panel, moderated by ANSA journalist Francesco Betrò, offered an opportunity to reflect on the social and economic impact of major sporting events and the legacy they leave for host regions and for Italy as a whole.
“Sporting events leave behind both tangible and intangible legacies for host regions,” said Cecilia D’Angelo. “They result in the creation of modern, functional sports facilities designed to last well beyond the event itself, and they help to promote the region’s image, showcase its excellence and boost its appeal at national and international level. They also provide a platform to advance key social issues such as gender equality, showing how major events can act as powerful drivers of rights and inclusion. On an educational and cultural level, major events offer a unique opportunity to invest in younger generations through volunteering, training, and awareness-raising initiatives around crucial topics such as environmental sustainability and human rights,” concluded the CONI Territorial Director.
The most powerful witnesses to the change that sport can bring are the athletes themselves. After taking part in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, they “change, mature, and come away with a new outlook – and the same happens to the regions that host these events. They are transformed by the experience of sport and the powerful values it brings. Once the event is over, they are no longer the same,” said Olympic windsurfing champion and multiple medallist Alessandra Sensini. There’s also the need to ensure that events are not only sustainable but also increasingly inclusive, a goal to be pursued through culture and education, as highlighted by Paralympic champion Giulia Ghiretti, representing the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP): “Years ago, when Paralympic athletes won, they were written about in the news section. Today, they are in the sports section. Education breaks down prejudice and stereotypes, and that starts at school. Teaching about Paralympic sport and sport in general is a powerful lever for cultural development and social cohesion. The path is always being built, and if we can build it together, I believe we can go much further.”
The event carried particular weight in light of the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026: “The Games have to be a spark that drives transformation in our country through sport, and we are truly working together to make that happen,” explained Diana Bianchedi. “With Milano Cortina 2026, our regions have taken on a commitment: these will be the first ever ‘widespread’ Games, with two cities pledging to evolve through the Games, and they will also be the first Winter Olympics with improved gender balance,” added the Chief of Strategic Planning and Legacy at the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation. Representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was Silvia Marrara, Embassy Counsellor and Head of the Sports Diplomacy Office, who spoke about the role of sports diplomacy and introduced the “Champions of Innovation” initiative to promote female entrepreneurship in sport. Closing the event, industry leaders Manuela Viel (Assosport), Arianna Colombari (Assosport – Tecnica Group), Carmelo Carbotti (Banca IFIS), Paolo Bellino (RCS Sport) and Ivan Basso shared their experience of the Giro d’Italia as a powerful engine for territorial promotion.
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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