Figure skating, six Olympic qualifications thanks to the results of the Helsinki World Championships
Thanks to the great results of the figure skating World Championships staged in Helsinki, Italy has bagged six Nation places for the 2018 PyeongChang Games. The Italian team did in fact achieve 2 places in the women’s singles, thanks to the 6th place of Carolina Kostner (130.50 points), 2 places in the artistic pairs, with the historic ninth place of the tandem Valentina Marchei-Ondrej Hotàrek (203.93, new Italian record) and 2 more places in the dance pairs, thanks to Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte, who took sixth place (183.73).
CONI Servizi and FISE (Italian Federation of Equestrian Sports) together for Rome’s Piazza di Siena Horse Show
For 2017 and for the following three years, CONI Servizi will organise Rome’s Official International Horse Show together with FISE – Italian Federation of Equestrian Sports– Master Fratelli d’Inzeo.
Rome’s historic event, which each year attracts the elite of world show-jumping to Piazza di Siena (from Wednesday 24 to Sunday 28 May, the first show took place in 1926), joins the list of big events planned by CONI Servizi as a joint venture with FSN – National Sports Federation.
“Piazza di Siena represents excellence in competition, a date with history, our country’s cultural heritage,”- remarks CONI President Giovanni Malagò.“This agreement represents an important opportunity to make a qualitative leap and improve this show that is as unique as the prestigious location that hosts it. From this year onwards, we will work side by side with FISE on the organisation of an event which needs to meet the high standards set worldwide and is dedicated to the memory of Raimondo and Piero d’Inzeo, heroes of show-jumping, who had the most long-standing careers among Italian Olympic champions. Since 2003, Piazza di Siena has been included in the Division 1 of the Nations Cup circuit, one of the eight most important official international show-jumping contests: the best of the best of the equestrian world, but we want to invest in a quality project that allows this gem to regain, in full respect of an extremely important location, that influential position in terms of tradition and lifestyle that characterised it in the golden years of Italian show-jumping. This show is a history within history that is opening up more and more to the world thanks to new technologies.”
FISE’s President Marco di Paola said: “I am proud of CONI’s willingness to work with us and I really have to thank President Malagò. This agreement is an important occasion for our federation and a further acknowledgement of this show’s amazing value. Joint efforts will definitely lead to excellent results. The need to bring Piazza di Siena’s horse show closer to the audience and to the city is a fundamental goal, as is aligning it with the highest-quality standards required by Fei Nations Cup’s Division 1. It is necessary to guarantee the maximum well-being and sports performances of horses and riders, the great champions. Piazza di Siena is in the heart of top riders. The first participation request confirmed this once again: Rio 2016 Olympic Champion Nick Skelton plans on bringing Big Star to Rome, his incredible companion in his Olympic adventure.”
The first meeting of the Technical Management Committee (CTG) took place today at the Foro Italico. The decision-making body is led by Marco di Paola. It includes: Cesare Croce (Past President FISE), Carlo Mornati (CONI Vice Secretary), Alberto Miglietta (Chief Executive Officer) e Diego Nepi (Director of Marketing and Development) for CONI Servizi. Simone Perillo, FISE General Secretary, is in charge of the Secretariat of the Technical Management Committee.
Milan the sole candidate for host the 132nd IOC session in 2019
The IOC can confirm that the Italian Olympic Committee submitted an application to host the 132nd IOC session in 2019 in the city of Milan. The IOC received many expressions of interest through a reviewed and more consultative candidature procedure. The IOC Session Evaluation Commission will now enter into discussion with the Italian NOC to determine which is the best choice to be proposed by the Executive Board to the next IOC session.
Milan 2019 candidacy dossier presented with Sala and Maroni. Malagò: ready to win the challenge
CONI President, Giovanni Malagò, jointly with Secretary General, Roberto Fabbricini, today presented – at the Palazzo delle Federazioni in Via Piranesi, Milan - the Milan 2019 candidacy dossier, to host the 132nd session of the IOC, together with the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala and the President of the Regione Lombardia, Roberto Maroni (photo: Scaccini-GMT). The conference was attended also by the dossier Project Leader, Diana Bianchedi, the Councillor for Sports of the Regione Lombardia, Antonio Rossi, the Councillor for Sports of the Municipality of Milan, Roberta Guaineri, as well as federal Presidents Flavio Roda, FISI, Andrea Gios, FISG, Vicenzo Iaconianni, FIM, Luciano Serafica, FISW, the members of the National Board, Sergio Anesi and Massimo Achini, and the President of the CONI Regional Committee, Oreste Perri. The decision on the selected hosting city will be due in the course of the OIC Session of 17 September 2017 to be held in Perù.
Malagò proudly launched the challenge. “The idea of Milan 2019 stemmed from the intention to react, as sportsmen. It is a very important project, of great prestige for the whole city and for our nation. Sala and Maroni immediately responded in unison to the request to host this important event, to which all the stakeholders in the world of sport are present. Many of the members of the IOC are Heads of State, presidents of the federations, some of the most important entrepreneurs in the world. CONI is totally committed, together with the Municipality of Milan and the Regione Lombardia, because we must win. We still don’t know against who, because the deadline for presenting the candidacy is tonight. Some credible rumours suggest that when Milan was put forth, many backed out. We shall see, we presented a single dossier, we brought out the best silver of the house, the best of the system. Or rather, she brought out the best of the system, I’m referring to the person responsible for the Rome 2024 dossier, Diana Bianchedi. I wish to thank the Federal Presidents who have joined us here, the institutions of the territory, Prefect and the Commissioner and I would like to thank Francesco Ricci Bitti, a giant in the international sports movement. I am very optimistic because I find elections exciting. Our reputation is not just intact, but paradoxically it was strengthened by the outcome of the Rome Olympic candidacy. That is a wound that will never heal, it is a match that we unfortunately never played, but today we are happy to take part in this new challenge to prove who we are and what we want with different players, of whom am very proud”.
The Mayor of Milan took up the challenge and raised the bar. “We want to show that we are a friendly, welcoming host, where events are welcome and prove our organizational skills. We live in a Region that is the birthplace of many champions and has a strong vocation for sports. Milan and the Regione Lombardia represent a territory that wants to propose itself as the most suitable venue for hosting events of this kind. It is an opportunity to grasp, for the entire city, for the benefits it will guarantee. I’m not talking about the Olympic Games, but everyone knows how passionate I am about these big events”.
The president of the Region, Roberto Maroni, stressed the importance of the project. “It is a testimony of the importance that is attributed to sport and its social function. A few weeks ago, we approved a norm that acknowledges movement as a therapy. We have the ambition to prove to the world that Milan and the Regione Lombardia are a great opportunity for sport”.
Diana Bianchedi ended the series of interventions. “With the Municipality and the Region we formed a great team to prepare a winning candidacy. This project stems from the intention to show the international world of sports, and not only, what Milano, the Regione Lombardia and the whole country can do. The dossier starts from the assumption that we are able to prove our skills in organizing great events. It is not easy today, with the existing problems, to have the strength to say we’re confident we can make it with these structures is already a winning card. We focused on technological and cultural aspects – like the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci - and on the beauty of our Country. The tours we proposed within the Regione Lombardia are aspects that make this project a very strong candidate”.
Statement by the National Board
CONI’s National Board held its 1058th meeting this morning, which was opened with the approval of the minutes of the meeting held on February 14. In his intervention, President Malagò announced that a press conference will be held tomorrow in Milan to present the dossier for the candidacy of Milan to host the 132nd IOC session. The press conference was attended by the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, and the President of the Regione Lombardia, Roberto Maroni, with their respective councillors for sports, Roberta Guaineri and Antonio Rossi, as well as the coordinator of the Diana Bianchedi project. The Board was then informed of the launch of the works to extend the Antidopng Laboratory in Acqua Acetosa in order to improve the international standards required by Wada. With regard to the Walk of Fame, this will soon include Luigi Beccali, Olympic Gold in Los Angeles 1932, and Tania Cagnotto, when she retires.
The new federal presidents, Piero Bartoletti (photo by: Mezzelani/GMT), Marco Giunio De Santis, Vittorio Lai and Pasquale Loria were welcomed and awarded with the Gold Star for sports achievements (Carlo Beninati instead had already received the Gold Star). It was established that the General Assembly for Sport will be held this autumn in Rome for a two-day session that will involve all stakeholders. Malagò then expressed his satisfaction for the considerable renewal of presidents at the head of the Federations and Associated Sports Disciplines (25 new presidents in 60 elections, equal to 41.66%).
At the end of the board meeting, Malagò announced that Italy will submit the candidacy of Armin Zoeggeler at the next IOC elections as member representing the athletes. Voting will take place during the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. After examining a long series of other matters of organizational and administrative nature and having approved the relative deliberations, the Board ended the meeting at 11:50hrs.
Malago visited the exhibition for International Women's Day
The CONI president Giovanni Malagò, together with the Secretary General, Roberto Fabbricini, visited the exhibition “From pain to beauty. Art, sport and life told by us.” The Exhibition's Hall of Honour is part of the initiatives provided for in the International Women's Day and was promoted by the Equal Opportunities Committee of CONI, in cooperation with the corresponding Department of the Prime Minister’s Office.
The exhibition was made possible as a result of the works of Cristina Silvestri, aka “Tara”, in collaboration with the Foundation’s Project Red Shoes, the company founded to address issues related to women, such as love, pain and - unfortunately even violence - and to raise awareness on societal issues that affect the female world, with the goal of providing a real contribution to their solution.
Surf joins Italy's Water Ski and Wakeboard Federation
The President of Italy's Water Ski and Wakeboard Federation, Luciano Serafica, announced today that upon CONI's request in view of the programme for the Tokyo Olympic Games qualifiers, he has included Surfing, with all its specialities into the “family” of federal sports. “We are ready to accept the challenge”, says president Serafica enthusiastically, “we decided to direct our work towards the Olympic goal, vigorously supporting Surfing athletes and all federal teams, enhancing existing skills without hesitation for a sole common goal, the Olympics and Sports”.
“We would like to thank President Alessandro Di Spirito” continues Serafica, "and the Federal Council of FISURF for the excellent work done over the years in which Surfing has spread gaining significant followers in our country and creating champions like Leonardo Fioravanti (in the ANSA photo), our spearhead” Serafica continues “the Water Ski and Wakeboard Federation has the most medallists by European and global comparison. The last few have been particularly significant due to the numerous awards granted; yearly, we win about 60 medals in international competitions and Pro races. We were born in 1950 as the Italian Water Ski Union and have grown constantly updating ourselves, today we regulate seven disciplines: Classic, Barefoot, Cable Ski, Cable Wake, Wakeboarding, Speed ​​and the Disability sector that, in our Federation for more than 20 years, motivates us both competitively and humanly”.
“This competitive activity has graduated numerous world champions in all disciplines, and from an organisational point of view”, added Luciano Serafica, “we've hosted several World Championships and organised countless European Championships. The FISW” concludes Serafica “will provide managerial skills and extensive experience gained over many years of competitive and institutional activities, to develop water sports and expand Surfing with all its specialities. As a first step, we would like to appoint the head of sports competitions who will bring surfers to Tokyo in 2020 and work together with them towards achieving such a prestigious goal” concluded President Serafica.
In 2016 one Italian out of four practiced sport regularly. Malagò: numbers that deserve an Olympic podium
A growing trend that “is worth an Olympic medal”. Because the match is about practicing sports and the prospects open onto a bright future for our Country, not only for the universe of organisations that live under the aegis of CONI. The percentage of Italians over the age of 3 that regularly practice sports in their free time has reached 25.1%: in 2016, in brief, one person out of four practiced sports. If we add to this percentage also those who say they occasionally practice sports, we reach 34.8%. The percentage of people practicing sports has increased by 1.5 points in the last year and by 4.2 points between 2013 and 2016, with an average increase of 1.4 points a year. Overall, between 2013 and 2016, 2 million 519 thousand Italians approached practicing sports.
The figures connected to physical activity – with particular reference to the last four-year period of Malagò’s presidency (Photo by Mezzelani-GMT) – were illustrated with great pride – at the Salone d’Onore – by the President of CONI, and by the President of the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (National Institute of Statistics), Giorgio Alleva. "Today, four years after my election – Malagò said – we talk about the results of a matter which I believe to be vital. Year after year, these figures have confirmed we’re on the right track. It’s like winning an Olympic medal. I put all my efforts into it to reach important goals starting from the territory, touching the various situations first hand, mapping the needs and the critical aspects of the various venues. After so much talking about sports, about sacrifice, about the importance of physical exercise, we can see the results. To know that in 2016 practicing sports has been so popular makes me happy. 1.5 percentage points increase is a significant result. With life expectancy getting longer – moreover – it’s not easy to improve. The ages from 6 to 10 years have recorded a peak, reaching 60% of children practicing sports. In the next four years I believe we will have a margin of improvement to continue to grow, considering that the regions of Calabria, Campania and Sicily are lagging behind and must reverse the trend. We must consider that 11.4% out of 13% of the total people practicing sports in Campania are registered sportsmen, because the rest don’t have access to sports facilities. Sardinia does better than many other regions, in the south there’s the problem of a lack of facilities, of where to practice sports, whereas in the north the authorities even failed to apply for funds from the “Sport e Periferie” project. The South instead has played the role of a lion and I am convinced that thanks to these efforts we shall greatly benefit on the future. In the next four years I am sure we shall improve and surpass also the physical activity average registered in the European Union. We are placed at the ninth place of the rank of people aged 18 to 29 who dedicate at least 150 minutes a week to physical activity, behind Greece but ahead of Portugal and France. Thanks to investments in infrastructures and to the role of sports in schools, I am confident we will improve. And I would like to stress that every percentage point is worth about 200 million and this enables us to prove to the Government has invested well in us. In July we shall have the results of the ISTAT survey on citizens and leisure time, to gather a great amount of information on sports practices of the Italians, the best time to bring together the general assemblies of our world and review the state of the art".
ISTAT’s president, Giorgio Alleva, went into detail in his considerations on the matter. "Physical activity implies the collective wellbeing and it therefore requires an updated picture. The first survey on the practice of sports was made just before the Rome 1960 Games. At the time it was an activity for the few. 90% were male – on one million and 230 thousand people practicing sports – with hunting in first place followed by football. In 2016 there are 14 million 800 thousand people regularly practicing a sport and for the third year running we have positive percentages which are recorded at 25,1%. In the period between 1995 and 2016 we can observe that there is a positive trend amongst the various generations which certifies the acknowledgment of the importance of sports. In the past year there has been a 5% growth in the north and 2.3% in the south. Schools play an important role, as also the family. 5.7% of free time in the under 24 bracket of the population is spent on practicing a sport, an average of 2 hours and 13 minutes a week. The World Health Organization has stated that lack of physical exercise represents the 4th risk factor in mortality, inactivity and/or obesity and concerns 52% of Italians and this shows us that we still have to work to improve. Just a few curious facts: we’re below the European average with regard to time dedicated to physical activity. In Europe we can observe how income plays an important role in dedicating time and space to practicing sports. The field of sports employs about 117 thousand people, 0.5% of the total workforce. We’re in second place in the EU for exports in sport-related products behind Germany. It is important that we invest in monitoring new phenomena connected to sports and boost, through various promotion measures, a regular physical activity among the population in consideration of its importance”.
Sports practice in Italy is increasing, probably also because the message that sport is good for you and is beneficial at all ages, which is spread on a daily basis with increasing frequency. Between 2013 and 2016 practicing sport increases in all age brackets. Increase of over 5 percentage points are recorded amongst the younger age brackets: 18-19 (+7.1 percentage points); 15-17 (+6.4); 6-10 (+5.8); 20-24 (+5) and in the 60-64 (+5). The number of people who regularly practice a sport continues to grow among both men and women, reaching 20.8% and 29.7% respectively, although a gender gap still remains.
Between 2013 and 2016 all statistics by geographic area show an improvement; in particular it is the North West that drives the growth (+5.1 percentage points). In this three year period we have also seen a constant and continuous, albeit contained, growth in the southern regions. In 2016, the first three regions with the greater concentration of people regularly practicing sports were: Trentino Alto Adige (36.2%), Emilia Romagna (31.1%), Lombardia (30.5%), whereas Calabria (16.5%), Sicily (16.5%) and Campania (13.9%) are at the bottom of the regional classification. Furthermore, in 2016 also 39.2% of Italians declared they did not practice any physical activity or sport in their free time, this equates to more than 23 million people who live a pretty sedentary life. Compared to 2013 the percentage of sedentary people has decreased by -2 percentage points. In figures, the physically inactive are about 1 million 70,000 less. In the last years the stabilization of the rate of sedentariness at around 39%, in a Country that continues to progressively age (the old age index went from 151.4 in 2013 to 161.4 in 2016) we can consider this an excellent result.
Olympic Channel Launches Global Digital Platform in Six Additional Languages
Featuring Olympic stars and stories from across the globe and continuing the excitement of the Olympic Games all year round, the Olympic Channel is now available in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese and Latin American Spanish in addition to English. The launch of the six additional languages on the Olympic Channel represents the first non-English languages to be added to the global digital platform.
Starting today, fans and users have the option to experience the current version of the Olympic Channel in one of seven languages. In addition to the multi-language user interface, viewers can continue to watch original programming with subtitles in one of 10 languages which has been an available feature since the channel launched in August 2016.
“This is a great way to reach more people around the world and to tell the great Olympic stories in a way that connects directly to them,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “The launch of the Olympic Channel platform in multiple languages ensures that more fans around the world will be able to discover and explore stories that will help them to connect with their favourite sports and athletes in their own language”.
“Language and localisation features are a high priority for us in 2017,” said Olympic Channel General Manager Mark Parkman. “The availability of six additional languages on the global digital platform is a significant step in the Olympic Channel’s evolution as we look to create more personalised user experiences for Olympic fans around the world”.
To experience the Olympic Channel in a language other than English, users can select the option through the language button in the upper right-hand corner of olympicchannel.com. On the Olympic Channel app, the experience will coincide with the language of the mobile device operating system. To select a different language, users should change their operating system language preference on their mobile device.
The Olympic Channel plans to release four additional languages in the coming months including Arabic, Japanese, Korean and Russian versions. In addition to creating a multi-language global digital platform, the Olympic Channel is working with broadcast partners and National Olympic Committees to develop localised versions of the Olympic Channel that will offer region- and language-specific user experiences on linear and digital platforms.
Statement by the National Board
Meeting n. 1057 of CONI’s National Board was held this morning at the Foro Italico. The session opened with the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting held on January 17. In his intervention, President Malagò took stock of the Ryder Cup matter and of the development and completion of the legal procedures regarding the Italian Paralympic Committee also in view of the upcoming elections. The memorandum of understanding between CONI, the Municipality of Milan and the Lombard Region is being defined for the candidature of Milan for the 132nd CIO Session in 2019. In light of the assignment of Prefect Carpino as Special Commissioner for the G7, it was necessary to replace him at the head of the “Sports and Suburbs” Plan. The choice went to the outgoing President of the Court of Auditors, Raffaele Squitieri.
With regard to the Sports Merits, after once again applauding the awarding of the Collare d’Oro (Golden collar) to Gigi Riva in Cagliari, the President expressed his wish, if he were to be confirmed at the helm of CONI for the next four years, to operate a “regularization” of sportsmen and sportswomen, athletes and technicians who could have been awarded the Collar in virtue of the results obtained prior to the establishment of this award. The subject and application process will be discussed in depth over the next four years, and intention was expressed to standardize the statutes of the Federations and Disciplines particularly with regard to the electoral aspect. Regarding the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games, Deputy Secretary General Carlo Mornati was nominated Head of Mission.
The Board approved the change of name of the Italian Hockey and Skating Federation (FIHP) into Italian Federation of Roller Sports (FISR). New regulations were approved for the organization and operations of NADO Italia, at the head of which there will be a President, in office for a five year term, with three year term judiciary bodies to further confirm the independence and autonomy of NADO, which will also have its new offices in the building adjacent to the Casa delle Armi at the Foro Italico, already the headquarters of the Rome 2024 Promotional Committee. An assessment was also carried out on the number of sports disciplines included in the national register, the current total of which is currently 384, and which will need to be standardized. After having examined a long series of other matters of organizational and administrative nature and having endorsed the relative deliberations, the Board ended the meeting at 12:00 pm.
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