FLORENCE, 27 June 2023 – Once again this year, the roll call for the XXVII edition of the Fair Play Menarini International Awards would not be complete without the “Studio and Sport” Fiamme Gialle Special Prize Category. Today, the award of the Fiamme Gialle Sports Division was presented to young swimmer Gianluca Gensini, born in 2003, during a press conference held at Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. An appointment that highlighted the return to Florence of this exciting event, dedicated to the value of fair play. The city of Florence will host both the talk show “The Champions Tell their Stories”, presented by Ivan Zazzaroni in Piazza della Signoria on Monday, July 3rd, and the traditional gala dinner on Tuesday, July 4th at Piazzale Michelangelo. On Wednesday July 5th, Italian and international sporting legends will attend the official award ceremony which this year, for the first time, will be held at the Roman Theatre in Fiesole.
“I am delighted that such a prestigious event, with twenty-six years of success behind it, is returning to Florence,” commented Cosimo Guccione, Councillor for Sport and Youth Policies in the Municipality of Florence. “Since its first edition, the award-winning champions, besides being positive role models for the new generations, have taken on the role as Fair Play Menarini Ambassadors around the world, advocating the noblest principles of sport such as sharing, brotherhood, solidarity and respect. Young people are bombarded with thousands of messages. They need examples to look up to and this event has, over time, created a shared and lasting legacy for the benefit of everyone that cannot be erased.”
“We are really looking forward to the award ceremony on July 5th,” adds Anna Ravoni, the Mayor of Fiesole. “We are honoured to welcome some of the great names of the world of sport in such wonderful settings and, above all, to an event that has been championing the highest values of fair play for years in an ongoing dialogue with civil society and the world of young people.“
After the new entry of the Fair Play Menarini Award “Young Athletes” category, Gianluca Gensini has now entered the official roll call of award winners taking home the coveted award set up in collaboration with the Italian Finance Police “Fiamme Gialle” dedicated to young athletes who have achieved significant success both at sporting and academic level. In 2022, Gensini took part in the Youth Swimming “Criteria” gala whilst also graduating from high school with honours. Thanks to this Award, the young swimmer from the ‘Esseci Nuoto di Calenzano’ swimming club will also have the opportunity to train at the Sports Centre of the Fiamme Gialle in Castelporziano, along with the other two finalists in the “Studio and Sport” Fiamme Gialle Special Prize Category: high jump specialist, Serena Masi, and swimmer, Niccolò Lucchi.
“This prize has once again given us the opportunity to acknowledge young talented individuals who have excelled both at school and in the sporting arena,” say Antonello Biscini, Valeria Speroni Cardi and Ennio Troiano, Board members of the Fair Play Menarini Foundation. “We are confident that they will successfully build upon the commitment, sense of responsibility and determination that have brought them this far, and become shining examples for their peers.”
Below are the winners and categories of the XXVII Fair Play Menarini International Awards:
- JAVIER ZANETTI, “Legendary Figure” Category
- DEBORAH COMPAGNONI, “Career Fair Play” Category
- ALESSANDRA CAMPEDELLI, “Social Values of Sport” Category
- ANTONIO CABRINI, “ A Role Model for Youth” Paolo Rossi Special Prize Category
- ELISA DI FRANCISCA, “Sport and Courage” Category
- GIULIA GHIRETTI, “Sport Beyond Sport” SUSTENIUM Energy and Heart Category
- LARISSA IAPICHINO, “A Smile for Life” Category
- MASSIMILIANO ROSOLINO, “Sport Promotion” Category
- LUIS ALBERTO SCOLA BALVOA, “Fair Play” Category
- LISA VITTOZZI, “Fair Play and the Environment” Category
- JACOPO VOLPI, “Narrating Emotions” Special Prize Franco Lauro Category
- MARCELO BIELSA, “Gesture of Fair Play” Category
- MARIACLOTILDE ADOSINI, “Fair Play Young Athletes” Category
- EMILIA ROSSATTI, “Fair Play Young Athletes” Category
- GIORGIO PIETRO TORRISI, “Fair Play Young Athletes” Category
- GIANLUCA GENSINI, “Studio and Sport” Special Prize Fiamme Gialle Category
The following Fair Play Ambassadors shall also be attending:
- GIANCARLO ANTOGNONI
- EDWIN MOSES
- FEDERICA PELLEGRINI
- ARRIGO SACCHI
- TOMMIE SMITH
